Baby Plans
by She'sAShipper
Summary: NOW COMPLETED!!! The Scully women are pregnant, how will the Dads handle it. Not in the usual way.
1. Parts One through Five

Chapter One

It's funny how your life can change in an instant, for better or for worse. One morning in late February, Walter Skinner found out just how swiftly this can occur. He found out just how rapidly the earth balance can shift, changing your life one way or another. He was seated at his fiancée's kitchen table that morning, enjoying a cup of coffee and some homemade pancakes. He loved spending his mornings with her, eating well and feeling happy before he started his day, be it a weekend as it was now or a workday. Maggie was beaming as she moved about her kitchen serving him.

"Walt, I have something to tell you about Dana. I know she hasn't even told Fox yet, so don't say anything, but, oh, Walter, I had to tell someone or I'd burst," Maggie gushed.

Skinner smiled. He adored seeing that look on Maggie's face.  
  
"Well, for God's sake, Margaret what is it? She isn't sick or you wouldn't be   
this happy."  
  
"Walt, our daughter is going to have a baby. We're going to have a   
grandchild." Lately when referring to her youngest child, Maggie had taken to saying "our daughter." She realized the special protective love Walt had for her baby girl.  
  
"Margaret, you all ready have grandchildren. Between Bill Jr. and Charlie, you have six," he said, not correcting her that Dana was not his real daughter. It felt like it was true. He should share Maggie's elation, but knowing of Mulder's feeling on that very subject colored his reaction to the news.  
  
"I know, but, she's my baby, my daughter. My baby's having a baby. It's different to be the mother of the mother." She beamed and gave him a quick kiss on the top of his head. He smiled.  
  
"And she didn't tell Mulder?" 

"Nope, only her mother. But I couldn't keep it a secret. Well, I could from Fox, but Dana is so much like your daughter now, it wouldn't seem right not to tell her father."  
  
"I take it I can't tell Mulder." Walter really felt Mulder should know. Judging from the discussion he had with him the other day, he knew the surprise would not go over well.  
  
"I would hope that you wouldn't even let Dana know I told you. She'd have my head. She's going to have us over for dinner tonight to tell us and Fox together. I just wanted to share it with you. That's what I love about this relationship. I have someone to share things with."  
  
"Maggie, come here a minute. Sit. Mulder and I had a beer last Friday and he and I got to talking about family. And he's not all that keen on starting one." He felt forewarned was forearmed. Fox Mulder was not a family man he was too dedicated to the X-files.

"Well, that's because he's no in the position for it to matter. No man as involved in his work as Fox really thinks about family until it's time to."

_Maggie, the optimist, Skinner thought._  
  
"Well, maybe Mulder isn't ready to start a family with Dana. Actually, he told me he never even thought about it, but if it were to come up, no, he's not ready to start family. Mulder isn't one to mince words, Margaret."  
  
"Well, maybe he's not ready now, but he will be. As soon as Dana tells him, he's going to be a daddy, his heart will just melt. I know I've been there. Bill was not at all ready for Bill Jr. But he dealt with and loved every minute. Fox will feel the same way. I mean how would you feel if I told you I was going to have a baby?"  
  
"I'd think it was time for the second coming...no, seriously, Maggs, I'd think it was great. I happen to want to be a grandfather, I've always wanted children. I'm just not sure that Mulder does. But we aren't talking about me and you. We're talking about Mulder and Dana."

"Actually we are talking about me and you. I wasn't going to tell you. I wanted to wait, but well, I have to tell you something. I was going to wait until tonight, and I know you probably won't believe me, but I'm pregnant. You're going to be a father.

Walter said nothing. He just stared at Maggie, a blank expression on his face. If she were ten years younger, he'd be delighted with the news that he was to be a father, but this, a baby at fifty-three, was far too big a risk.

Maggie took in the expression on his face. It showed nothing. He just said he'd be happy with the news, yet he just stared.  
  
"Well, Walter, say something. Are you happy?" She moved closer to embrace him.  
  
"Um, surprised is more the word for it, Maggie," he said pulling away, straightening his tie.  
  
"Oh, I know it's a shock, darling, but there are worse surprises, right?"  
  
What was she thinking? Nothing could be worse than this. "Wrong. Margaret, you are fifty-two, almost fifty-three years old. It is impossible for you to be pregnant. It just can't happen."  
  
"Well, it did happen, and you did have a part in it, you just remember that," she started clearing the dishes. "I think it happened around the twelfth of last month; making me, effectively six weeks pregnant. Although I'm not really all that regular since I started the change, the doctor figures that is about right."  
  
"Six weeks. That's it. Oh Lord, then it's not too late," he sighed with relief. Six weeks she could get an abortion. She'd be safe.  
  
"Not too late to do what? Walter Skinner, if..."  
  
"Face facts, Margaret. You may have been able to conceive this child, but you'll never be able to carry it to term. It may be biologically possible to conceive it; but you'll never physically be able to complete the race." He hardened his tone to hide the plethora of emotions running through his mind.  
  
"Women much older than me have had healthy babies, Walt. I'm going to be monitored very closely and have all the tests, it's all going to be fine, you'll see." She sensed his fear and tried to reassure him, making light of the situation.

"I doubt it. This pregnancy, it's..."She cut him off again, reading his mind.  
  
"Oh, God, Walt, don't go all Fox Mulder on me. This is a perfectly natural, normal and God-willing healthy pregnancy and to be honest, I'm thrilled at the idea of a fifth baby and honored to be giving you you're first one. You just said you'd be happy with this news."  
  
"Ten years ago, I'd be happy. Now, I'm appalled. I don't want you to have the baby, Maggie. While I'd love a child of my own, I don't want to lose you because of that. I love you too much to do   
that to you. I care too much for you to take such an enormous risk."  
  
"And I love you, Walter; enough that I want to take this risk. I want to give you a baby, and I'm not getting an abortion."  
  
"Margaret, I'll be happy with you. And, I'll be happy with Mulder and Dana's child, a grandchild. Dana is enough daughter, and believe me, Mulder is enough son, to satisfy me." He changed his tactic; perhaps sweet talk…She spoke again.

"We can't undo this, Walter. I'm pregnant, and the only way this baby is coming out is if I miscarry it or I give birth to it. There will be no abortion! If you really don't want this child, I suggest you get down on your knees and pray that I lose it!" She was angry, but he wouldn't, he couldn't waver.

"Well, I guess it's settled then, isn't it. You're going to do what you   
want, no matter what I have to say about, and no matter what you're other children will have to say about it. Or do they all ready know. Am I the only one in the dark? Please let me be the first to know?"  
  
"No one knows about this but you. I didn't want to take the spotlight away from Dana. And I didn't want to upset her; she's having her own pregnancy. This will shock everyone, but you'll all have to cope with it." She turned back to her dishes.

Angrily, Walter sighed and rose from the table. "I'll see you at Fox and Dana's tonight. There's no reason to ruin this moment for her. Maybe by then, when you seen how happy she is, you'll reconsider risking you're life and just be there for the children you all ready have. I have to go."  
  
Before Maggie even had the chance to respond, he kissed her cheek and   
walked out the door. She turned back to her dishes, her shoulders slumped, as tears streamed from her eyes and made ripples in the soapy water.  
  
Walter got in his car and drove through town. No particular destination in mind. He could go to the office, but the last thing he needed was more stress. His head all ready ached from it. No, he'd just drive. The car seemed to steer itself until he ended up at Mulder's place. Mulder's car was in the driveway and Scully would not be home for an hour or so, so he pulled in behind it. He needed to talk, to another man. Was he being unreasonable about this? If anyone would set him on the straight and narrow, it would be Mulder. He was a pain and they almost never agreed, but he was fair and honest and had the answers.  
  
Mulder had never hesitated to be blunt with him, even before he had married Scully and they had become "family". He would tell him the truth.  
  
Fox Mulder was startled to see his father-in-law-to-be at his door nearly six hours early for the dinner party Scully had insisted on throwing, but he smiled when he opened the door.  
  
"Come on in, Sir." Mulder looked relaxed in his jeans and shirt. He seemed another person at home.  
  
"Fox, when we're on matters like this, it's Walter or Walt or Dad, shit, I don't care," he said as he sat down heavily, "You aren't going to believe this." He was never one to beat around the bush.  
  
Mulder smiled and brought him a beer. "Me, not believe something? Come on, try me. What's wrong?"  
  
"Sit."  
  
He sat, "What is it? Is something wrong? Is Scully sick? Is Mom sick? I   
know neither one has been filled with energy lately, but Scully said   
that...oh, God what's wrong?"

He should have known Mulder would freak, he should have said this better.  
  
"No one's sick, Mulder, relax. At least not physically, but Maggie has   
definitely lost her senses."  
  
"What does that mean?" He didn't want to take sides in Skinner's woman troubles.  
  
"Fox, she's pregnant." _There, Walter, plain and simple._  
  
"Who? Scully? No, it can't be, we're not ready yet." Mulder brushed it off  
  
"Mulder, not Scully, well, I don't know. Maggie is pregnant. She's having a baby." Skinner watches Mulder's face go from fear to shock to surprise. Then he began to chuckle.  
  
"Oh, man. She's too old. That was a good one. There's no way." Mulder realized Skinner wasn't laughing.  
  
"Obviously not. She said she's been to the doctor, it's confirmed. She's pregnant. And I don't have clue one what to do about it." He leaned forward and put his face in his hands.  
  
"What's she going to do about it?" Mulder asked him, all ready knowing what she wouldn't do about it.  
  
"She's adamant on having it. She's ecstatic, Mulder." Skinner took a long sip of his beer.  
  
"And you?"  
  
"I told her I didn't want it, not if means her life is in danger. I don't need a child, I only need her. I've lost too much to lose this."

Mulder could sense Skinner's pain. He'd nearly lost his first wife in childbirth and that baby had died. Now for him to have his beloved Maggie at risk, he couldn't reconcile it.  
  
"You said this to her?" If he had, Mulder surmised, it wouldn't have gone over well.  
  
"Pretty much, yeah."  
  
"And she said?"  
  
"No, Walter, I'm not getting an abortion."  
  
"And you said?"  
  
"I'll see you later, maybe by then you'd have come to your senses. Then I left and came here. I knew you'd get it, you know?"  
  
"Oh, no. You shouldn't have left you know. You have to work this out."  
  
"Yeah." He sounded defeated. Mulder touched him gently.  
  
"Oh, no. She's probably pretty upset."  
  
"She's upset. What about me? I only said that because I love her, I don't want to see her hurt, either if she has the baby and can't handle it or if she loses it. She so wants this baby. She wants it for me. If she thinks I don't and loses it, she won't feel like she let me down." It sounded stupid even to his ears.  
  
"But instead of her feeling like she pleased you, she feels like your   
love is conditioned on her being perfect. If she can't have this baby,   
she'll feel degraded somehow, all women do, and she'll need you. Mom, will not abort this baby. She doesn't believe in it, but she may will herself to lose it or she may leave you. She must feel disgraced anyway at being unmarried and pregnant at her age.  
   
"Oh, God, Fox. I want this child, I do, but I don't want to lose Margaret. She's all I have, and I'm not willing to sacrifice her for my happiness."  
  
"That's not true, you know. Dana and I, we'll be here, good or bad."  
  
"I know. I just can't accept the pregnancy, Fox. I can't."  
  
"Maybe you need time to think about it; to adjust. This is not something that happens every day. Go out to the gym, I know that's how you work through things, relax a bit, come and have dinner, and then address the problem after you've calmed down a bit. There' nothing you can do this wound up, and Mom is probably so mad, she won't listen to you now anyway. But think about it either she has this baby with you by her side, and you might lose her or you leave or continue to insist on abortion and you will lose her. The decisions clear to me. Think about it. And don't work yourself up."  
  
Impulsively, Walter embraced the younger man, "Thanks, Fox. I know there was a reason I didn't fire you years ago."  
  
"No problem. I'll see you later. And try to be on time, I don't want Byers and his current squeeze to be the first ones here. His girlfriends are usually a little scary." Mulder smiled glad to see some of the tension melt away.  
  
"No problem. Do you have any idea why Scully is having this shindig?"  
  
"Not a clue. Impulse I think. Want to play homemaker. Now get, I'll see you later."  
  
Walter felt a little bit better after his talk with Mulder, but he still had a lot to think about before he saw Maggie at dinner that night. And by the time the day was over, Mulder would have a lot to think about as well. Walter did take Mulder's advice and work out. Then he showered at his own apartment. By that time he had to leave for Baltimore to get Maggie. She was still mad at him and they didn't speak in the car.

The living room in the Mulder house was filled with people by the time they arrived. If Walter hadn't told Mulder what had happened between him and Maggie, it would have been impossible for him to see that. Walter had his arm around her shoulders and she had hers around his waist.   
  
"Mom, Walter, you remember the guys. Frohike and Langley. And this is Molly Weston and her husband George our neighbors across the street. This is Margaret Scully, Dana's mom, and her fiancé, Assistant Director Walter Skinner. He's our supervisor at the Bureau." Mulder introduced everyone with a polite smile.

"Oh, God bless you," Molly quipped.  
  
The couples shook hands warmly and exchanged smiles. Molly leaned in near Maggie and whispered, "Do you have any idea what this is all about?"  
  
"I don't know for sure," she fibbed, "But I have an idea. I hope Dana   
doesn't wait all night to let us know."  
  
Meanwhile, Walter asked Mulder "Is everyone here? Where's the guy in the suit?"  
  
"Oh, Byers?" asked Frohike, "He's..."  
  
The door opened and Byers entered accompanied by Kimberly, Skinner's   
secretary. The shock that registered on his bosses face was something for the record books, and similar to the look Mulder imagined him having when Maggie announced she was pregnant with his child. Skinner approached Kim and asked pointedly.  
  
"Kim? You're dating this man?"  
  
"Yes, Sir. I know I should have said something, but, well, I wanted this to be a surprise. Nice to see you again, Mrs. Scully."  
  
When Dana heard Kim's voice and her mother's she knew that all of her guests had finally arrived. She could hardly contain her excitement another minute, but she didn't want to indicate to Mulder that anything truly special was going on. Normally, this was not the kind of thing she'd reveal with a bunch of strangers around before telling Mulder, but given what she knew about his feeling of becoming a dad, she thought this gathering for the best.  Perhaps, by the time it ended, he'd realized that her pregnancy was a blessing. He'd been after her for two days to tell him what this dinner was about. She'd said it was just a get together, oh, if he only knew.   
  
"Dana? Honey, are you in here?" her mom called.  Scully was at the stove, stirring her sauce.  
  
"Yeah, mom. Hi, I am so excited. I can't wait to tell Mulder and everyone. This is so perfect. Mulder and I are having a baby. I haven't been this happy since my wedding day." Dana was beaming, she was the picture of radiant expectant motherhood.  
  
"I know, baby, and I'm happy for you. I really am." Dana could tell that there was more to her mother's mood than that.  
  
"What's wrong, Mom?"  
  
"Oh, it's nothing. Walt and I had a little argument, it's over now. I can't wait to see the look on Fox's face. When are you going to tell everyone?" She hoped it was soon. She and Walter needed to talk.  
  
"I thought we'd eat first, why?"

"I won't be able to eat, Dana. I could hardly contain myself in there."

Just then Mulder entered to ask, "Scully, when can we eat. Everyone's starving out here."

"One minute, Honey," she called from the kitchen. With a glance at her Mom she left and headed to the parlor. All eyes were on her as she stood next to Mulder and spoke. She fidgeted a bit then studied her shoes.

"Um, actually before we do that, I have something I want to tell everyone. The real reason that I wanted to have everyone over today is that I have something I need to tell everyone and I wanted everyone that was special in my life to be here when I did it."  
  
Mulder's face fell and he reached out to hold her, as if he didn't hear her words, "Oh, God, I knew something was wrong. I knew it, I could feel it. Honey, what ever it is, we'll beat it, I know it.  
  
"Mulder, now calm down. There's nothing to worry about. This is not bad   
news; this is good, no great news. Mulder, everyone, we're going to have a baby."

Chapter Two  
  
Shouts and cheers of joy arose from the crowd gathered in the Mulder's living room. Maggie rushed forward to hug her daughter as if she was just hearing the news this minute. Walter's gaze fell on Mulder, who was staring at his wife with his mouth hanging open. Dana was being passed from her mother's embrace into that of the Gunmen, first to Byers, then to Frohike, who held her a little too close for Fox's taste, and finally to Langley. Before he knew it she was standing in front of him and he opened her arms to receive his protective fatherly hug, which he topped off with a gentle kiss on the top of her head. His eyes caught Maggie's across the room and he saw the pure joy in her gaze. He knew they still had a few things to work out, and they still   
had some things to talk about, but he felt they'd be okay.  
  
"Well, Mulder, what do you think?" Scully asked expectantly.  
  
"I think that this is a real surprise, and we are most certainly not ready for this. We just got married; we're so not ready for a baby. We never even talked about this and you just went right ahead and did it." He yelled at her. He was angry.  
  
The joy in the room was quickly killed by the tension arising between the host couple.   
  
"Well, I didn't do it by myself, Fox," Dana returned, hands going to her hips, eye brows arching.  
  
"No, that's right, she didn't. You both created this miracle and you both deserve the utmost in congratulations," said Maggie, hugging her son-in-law and trying to calm him down, so he would not embarrass her daughter or   
himself.  
  
Mulder relented for now but Walter could sense that the discussion over the pregnancy was not over.   
  
The rest of the evening progressed uneventfully, with the Gunmen teasing Mulder about the old "ball and chain" the real thing now, and the women gushing over Scully talking about what she hoped the baby would be, if she wanted to know the sex before hand, and if she was thinking of any names in particular. She was so happy that day, only Mulder's reaction had dulled it a little. They were ready for this baby, although they hadn't discussed it, they were ready she knew it. They loved each other, they made a decent living, they were ready. Now she only had to help Mulder believe it.  
  
Maggie, Kim, and she cleaned up the supper dishes while Molly set out the dessert she brought over. When Dana went upstairs to the bathroom, Kimberly questioned Maggie.   
  
"Mrs. Scully…"

"Maggie," she corrected smiling.

"Maggie, I hope I'm not being presumptuous here, but I'm worried about you. You look so worn, no offense or anything."  
  
"Since we're in the business of keeping secrets, I'm going to let you in on one. Dana," she said, as she approached from the stairs, "I want to tell you this too, but it's a secret for now. I'm pregnant too."

Dana gasped and stared at her mother, blue eyes wide with fear and disbelief. If she hadn't seen her fair share of strange occurrences during her time on the X-files she'd have laughed at her and insisted that it had to be a joke. Yet something in her mother's demeanor and in Skinner's face since arriving at the party told her that her mother was telling the truth.

"Oh, Mom. What are you going to do?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. Her mother was too old to have a child. She was in her fifties. Women did not have babies in their fifties.

"What do you mean, what am I going to do? I'm going to have a baby, that what I'm going to do. You're starting to sound like Walter." Maggie brushed off her daughter's concern.

Kimberly had felt the tension in the room increase a degree and quietly excused herself to help Molly serve dessert. She eyed Skinner and sent him a silent message with her eyes that the "jig" was up and the news was out about Maggie's pregnancy. As subtly as possible Skinner rose and joined his lover and her daughter in the kitchen. 

"Well, Walter's a reasonable man. If he has reservations about this then…"

"Walter's only a reasonable man when he agrees with you. If you wanted to run off somewhere with Fox and he said no, you'd be witching about it for weeks. Complaining and whining about how unfair he is, but now when he agrees with you well…"

"Margaret." Skinner's voice came clearly through the doorway, cutting her off. "Dana and I love you; we only want what is best for you and your health. Don't be angry with her. She is in a delicate way herself and neither of you should be getting overly upset. Now, there is a party going on outside and unless you want this family's private business all over the neighborhood and the FBI by tomorrow morning, I suggest you both cool it and rejoin the guests."

On that note, he turned around and left the room.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I just don't want anything to happen to you. I love you and so does Walter. Just please promise me you'll consider the consequences before you make any final decisions about this pregnancy."

Dana's voice was filled with emotion and Maggie realized she was only speaking out of love, yet her mind was all ready made up. "Dana, the decision is all ready made. I'm sorry if you can't accept that, I'm even sorrier if Walter, this baby's own father can't, but there is no other choice for me. I'm pregnant and whatever happens now is out of my hands. I appreciate your concern and I love you for it, but please, let me handle this in my own way."

Dana Scully always knew when she was defeated, like right now. Her mother was not going to go against her principles no matter how reasonable the argument in favor of that. She accepted her mother's offered embrace with resignation and went to rejoin the party.

Chapter Three

It had been a few weeks since the dinner party at the Mulder house, and Dana and Margaret's shocking announcements. Doubt still weighed heavily on the four expectant parents, with Mulder still highly resentful of Dana's pregnancy and Walter's fear preventing him from being happy about Maggie's. It seems that couples had almost joined forces against each other. Dana and Walter stood firm in their mutual opposing of  
Maggie's pregnancy, and while Maggie didn't oppose her daughter's condition, she claimed she understood Mulder's feelings and tried to support him as well as her daughter. The entire situation spelled disaster and finally came to a head one spring day in April.  
  
Scully and her mother were now thirteen and twelve weeks pregnant   
respectively, and both were now free of the troubling morning sickness that had gripped both mother and daughter for over a month. It was the day of Scully's three month check up and an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach brought the stepfather to be to her office.  
  
Walter Skinner hadn't been feeling right for weeks, either he was troubled with indigestion, heartburn, or some other stress related ailment, possibly even an attack of angie, but this feeling was different. It was the kind of feeling he always had when someone he cared about was hurt or sick or threatened in some way. He knew that if   
he didn't check on his "daughter" he'd never get any of his work done, so he strolled down to the X-files office to find her seated at Mulder's desk, tears streaming down her cheeks, her forehead delicately placed on one hand.  
  
Walter was careful in his approach so as not to startle her and upset her further. Upset was not healthy for her or for her unborn child.  
  
"Dana?" he asked gently, "Dana, what is it?" he pried, placing a consoling hand on her down turned shoulder. "Is something wrong with Mulder? Or the baby?"  
  
At the mention of her unborn babe, Dana erupted into a fit of uncontrollable,   
heart wrenching sobs, and practically jumped into Walter's strong waiting   
arms. She was shaking so violently that he feared she'd fall if he released   
his grip on her even a little. He'd never seen her this way. In the year that he'd been seeing Maggie, he'd seen Dana at some of her most vulnerable moments, something must be very wrong. Yet, he knew that trying to find out what would be futile until she had cried herself out and once again had control of her emotions. His only course of action would be to hold and calm her.  
  
"Ssh. Hush now, sweetheart," he cajoled, "Whatever it is it can't be so bad   
that we can't work it out. I'm here now, and I'm never going to let   
anything hurt you. Calm yourself, now," he said in a soft, fatherly voice as   
he rocked her and stroked her hair, and waited for her sobs to quiet and her   
shuddering to stop.  
  
He held her as tight as he could without hurting her and continued to stroke   
her hair and cradle her to his chest. She seems so small and weak at this   
moment, so much like her mother and yet so unlike her as well.  
  
Finally, his soft comforting words and gestures penetrated Dana's   
consciousness and she let out a shaky sigh, pulling out of his embrace and   
looking up at him. She expected to see disdain and anger there, but what she   
did see almost caused her to melt into tears again, his intent dark gaze was   
three parts concern and one part tenderness. She needed that, she needed   
that so much.  
  
Walter pulled out his handkerchief and blotted the tears away from hers eyes   
himself, as if she were a little girl. She finally spoke when he was finished, "I'm sorry," she said. It was a whisper.  
  
"There is nothing for you to be sorry about. Now, tell me what this is   
about. Nothing gets you that upset."  
  
"It's silly."  
  
"If it makes you cry it can't be silly, honey. Now tell me what it is." He stepped back and held her gaze. His strong hands remained on his shoulders.  
  
"I can't do this," she whispered, her head bowed.  
  
"Do what?" he asked confused.  
  
"You're my boss," she gestured at him. "It's awkward." She was embarrassed even after all they'd been through.  
  
"I'm not only your boss, Dana. I'm the man who is going to marry your   
mother. You can talk to me, you can trust me," he assured her.  
  
"Can we go somewhere and do this? I don't want Mulder to know how upset I   
was." She needed him, he could sense it.  
  
"Of course we can. Get a jacket and I'll buy you something to eat. You're   
still too thin for a pregnant woman."  
  
Dana smiled lightly and followed Walter to a small cafe he frequented. The   
same cafe in fact where he'd been shot in eight months ago for looking into   
Melissa's death.  
  
After ordering himself a coffee and Dana lemonade, Walter began to probe   
again.  
  
"Tell me what happened. Is the baby okay? Are you all right?"  
  
"The baby is fine. I'm fine. I went to the doctor today, that's how I know that. And well, this is the silly part. Dr. Ragner said that today was the day to see the baby and she asked if I wanted to wait for Mulder, but I knew he didn't want to come. I asked him to come   
with me this morning and he said, 'You don't care about what I think, so why should I?' He didn't even want to see his baby for the first time," she said her voice breaking again, "I thought for sure he would have changed his mind by now."  
  
"Then I thought about what we've been doing to Mom. And how she is scared   
that she won't be able to carry this baby and how she is going through that   
all alone because neither one of us will support her. I don't want mom to   
see your baby all alone next week."

Skinner didn't answer. He tried but found he couldn't. He felt like his tie was choking him and he couldn't get enough air. Dana looked up at Walter and noticed how pale he'd   
become and how much he was perspiring. He'd loosened his tie and was massaging his arm.  
  
"Walter? Sir? Are you all right?" she asked, recognizing his symptoms for   
what they were. Walter Skinner was showing all the signs of a heart attack.  
  
No answer was forthcoming, at least not in spoken form. Instead, her answer   
came when her stepfather to be collapsed to the table with a sickening thud.

Chapter 4

In the years that Dana had known her husband, she spent her fair share of   
time in hospitals. Mulder's been shot, stabbed, and even poisoned, but never   
had a situation occurred when his own body betrayed him completely. When he   
was shot or injured by some other evil force, she had someone to lash out at,   
someone to hold accountable. In Walter's case however, that wasn't' true.   
His current condition was the result of his own body's betrayal and she had no   
one to blame for that, no one but herself.  
  
As soon as she saw Walter collapse she called the ambulance and began CPR.   
The realization that her stepfather and boss had a severe cardiac episode   
never fully penetrated until she arrived at the hospital and called her   
husband.  
  
Mulder had reacted in much the same way she did. Action first, shock and   
disbelief secondary. His immediate thought, as Dana's had been, was of   
Maggie and the unborn child she and Walter shared, and had volunteered to go   
to Baltimore and pick up his mother-in-law, so Dana could focus on getting   
information from the doctors.  
  
By the time Mulder arrived with her mother, Dana had been allowed into the ER   
exam room to be with Walter while the doctors waited for X-rays and blood   
test results. It was clear by his color and breathing and EKG that he had a   
cardiac episode of some kind and had yet to regain consciousness. She held   
his hand close to her chest, whispering for him to think of her mom and his   
child, and about the grandchild that was coming. She whispered how she knew   
he was strong and could survive anything and they were all going to be here   
for him, her mom, Mulder, herself, and everyone else he cared about and had   
touched. By the time Mulder and her mom entered the cubical, she had her   
forehead pressed to his chest, shoulders quaking with the force of her sobs.  
  
"Dana?" Maggie's voice was laced with shock and terror,   
"Tell me he's not dead. Please."  
  
She lifted her head and looked at her mother's tear stained, ashen face and   
shuttered, "No, Mom. He's alive. He's unconscious and the doctors are   
waiting for the test results. They believe he had a massive coronary   
episode," she said trying to don her doctor's hat and regain her composure.  
  
"How serious? Does he need surgery?" asked Mulder.  
  
"No one knows yet, the doctors are still waiting on the tests. His pressure   
was really high when he came in and they're trying to reduce it to prevent   
stroke."  
  
"Oh, God," gasped Maggie, stumbling back into Mulder's strength.  
  
"Mom," Mulder said, "Mom, take it easy. Take a breath. Come sit here next to   
Walter. Talk to him."  
  
Carefully, Fox led his distraught mother-in-law to her fiancée's bedside and   
helped her sit.  
  
"Walt, I'm here, now. We all are. Fox and Dana, and our little one and our   
grandchild."  
  
Looking at her mom, tenderly cradling the hand of the man she loved, suddenly proved too much for Dana's fragile control, and with a sob, she bolted from the room.  
  
Mulder's own mind was in turmoil as well. His boss and lately very dear   
friend and father figure was in serious condition, the mother-in-law that he   
loved more than his own mother was distraught and in the early stages of   
shock. And his wife, whom he'd not exactly been attentive to lately, had just   
escaped the sick room her emotions almost completely out of control. How   
much of that was stress and fear over Walter and how much of it was pregnancy   
hormones he didn't know. What he did know was Dana needed him. Walt had   
Maggie, Maggie had her faith, but Dana, who'd been battling issues over God   
for most of the time she'd been on the X-files was lost and had nothing. She   
needed to know that in spite of his doubts about becoming a parent she had   
him.  
  
He nodded in Maggie's direction so that she would know he was going to see   
about Dana and looked out in the hallway for his wife. He didn't have to   
look far; she was just down the corridor, leaning against the wall for much   
needed support. Fox came up behind her and placed gentle hands on her   
shoulders, squeezing lightly.  
  
"Come on," he commanded gently, "Come on. Look at me."  
  
She turned in his arms and pressed her body into his and cried. She let him   
hold her and rock her and whisper calming words in her ear. When she stopped   
her crying she pulled her head back and looked at him.  
  
"It's all my fault," she said shakily.  
  
"Oh, Angel. No, this isn't your fault. How could you think of this as your   
fault?" He pulled her closer to him again and kissed her hair.  
  
"Because I was telling him, never mind. I was talking to him, telling him   
not to make Mom see the baby all alone, and the next thing I know, he   
collapsed on the table."  
  
"Oh, Dana. That was today wasn't it? The ultrasound was today. Did Walter   
go with you?"  
  
"No, Mulder!" she yelled all of a sudden, pushing him off of her. "No one came with me, I was all alone, and I didn't want that for my mother. You should have been there!   
Like it or not, Fox, this is your child! Yours. We made this child together,   
out of love, and you of all people should know what it's like to not be   
wanted by the one person that should love you and want you the most. Don't do   
that to this baby, Fox, and don't do that to me. I made it clear that night   
at our house that I had no problem raising this baby on my own. Either you   
accept the baby as part of me and our marriage, or you don't accept me or the   
marriage. The choice is yours, but I refuse to put myself through another   
day like this one, hoping you'd show up and see that little person on the   
monitor and fall instantly in love."  
  
"I am in love, Dana, with you. I love you..."His voice cracked with emotion.  
  
"You can't possibly love me and still cause me this kind of pain. In order for you to love me you have to love all the things about me. I'm pregnant, Mulder, and this is your child. It is part of me, and if you love me, you have to love this baby too. We're a package deal, we're cheap, but we come together. The choice is yours."  
  
Mulder watched as Scully turned on her heel and headed to the entrance to the   
cubical to join her mother's vigil. Just then Mulder saw the doctor heading   
in and walked down to join them and lend his support in case the news was not   
good.  
  
"Mrs. Mulder, Mrs. Scully, I'm Dr. Sklodonski, the doctor that treated and   
admitted the Assistant Director. The blood tests have come back and   
indicate that the Assistant Director indeed had a massive heart attack. We   
are going to need to perform a triple bypass as soon as he's stable. He's   
had a heart condition for years; in fact, it's a surprise it didn't come to   
this before now."  
  
"Years? How come he never mentioned it to me? How come he never let me care   
for him?" Maggie was stunned that he kept such a secret.  
  
"Walter is a very private person, Mom. He didn't want a nursemaid. When can   
he have the procedure, Dr. Sklodonski?"  
  
"As soon as his pressure remains in normal levels for a period of 24 hours.   
He cannot afford his pressure to spike on the table. He'll stroke out."

The room hushed at the doctor's words. The situation was serious and all they could do was wait and watch until the AD's condition improved.

Chapter Five

Two days later, Mulder came into the hospital flanked by Byers and Kimberly.   
The AD's blood pressure had stabilized, but had not dropped to a safe enough   
level for the doctors to operate. Byers had managed to keep Kim away from   
the hospital those first few days, but today, she had insisted on going to   
see her boss and offering her support to his fiancée.   
  
Kim understood some of what Maggie was feeling, the fear associated with not   
knowing if a loved one would live. She'd felt that same fear once herself, when her Dad was ill. Unfortunately, the outcome was not positive.

  
They entered Skinner's ICU room to find the bed made and Maggie sitting   
beside it sobbing brokenly in her daughter's arms. Dana was not shedding any   
tears herself, but everyone in the room could sense her tension.  
  
"Mom? Dana? What happened? Where's Walter?" Mulder approached in a rush, his heart in his mouth.  
  
Dana turned to face him and spoke the first words she'd said to him in days,   
"He's in surgery. They couldn't wait any longer; they had to do the bypass   
immediately. His pressure is still high, and the risks are monumental, but   
they were out of options. They couldn't wait any longer."  
  
She said that in such a detached manner, with such scientific coldness, but   
Mulder could hear the fear she masked. Maggie shuddered against her and   
Mulder moved to put his arm around her on the other side. He took care to   
touch Dana's hand with his as he consoled his mother-in-law, and for the   
first time in two days, she did not recoil at his touch. Byers took Kim in   
his arms and held her, although she did not fully understand why everyone was   
so upset, not hearing the original prognosis.  
  
"Did Dr. Sklodonski give you odds?" Mulder asked.  
  
"He has about a 50/50 chance of having a stroke on the table. There's about   
a 30% chance he won't survive at all," again, she kept her voice emotionless and detached.  
  
"What is going on? I don't understand," Kim said.

  
"Walter has to have open heart surgery, but his blood pressure is so high that the risk of stroke associated with any heart surgery is almost tripled, as is his chance of dying. We could get lucky and there could be no adverse after effects at all or we could be unlucky and the damage could be extensive. No one knows," Maggie supplied, trying to compose herself.  
  
"How long will he be in surgery?" This from Byers.  
  
"This type of surgery usually takes about seven hours. Then we'll know what the situation is. Now, if everyone will excuse me for a minute..."Scully informed them before rising and running down the hall to the chapel. Kim followed suit, sensing that she was going to need someone to talk things over with.    
  
"Are you going to be all right, Mom?" Mulder asked concerned.

"We're going to be fine. We're all going to be just fine. Now I think my daughter needs me, since she obviously isn't getting any support from you." Maggie had sensed the tension between her daughter and son-in-law. She knew the baby had been a point of contention but enough was enough. She was getting fed up with this petty foolishness. Her daughter needed support, she needed reassurance, and all Mulder seemed to be giving her was grief.  
  
Mulder sat heavily in the chair that Maggie had just vacated placing his head in his hands.  
  
"You want to tell me what that was about? Usually, as soon as Scully sneezes wrong you're all over her, you drive her crazy. Now, she's obviously upset, she's pregnant and you know that being upset is not good for the baby. So what gives?" Byers the ever wise man spoke up.  
  
"Scully isn't talking to me. She thinks I don't want the baby." Mulder answered, dejected. He'd changed his mind, but the court was closed and not hearing any appeals.  
  
"Well, you don't. The first thing you said when Scully told you she was   
pregnant was we are not ready for this baby. You never even though about the other possibilities, about how wonderful this child is going to be. Hopefully, he or she will have your height and Scully's hair, your determination and Scully's reason, your spirit and Scully's drive. This kid is going to be the best of the both of you and the worse of the both of you. This baby is something you did together, a person you created together. Now if you've reconsidered this thing, you better go after her and start eating some serious crow, because you are going to lose Scully and the baby if you don't."  Byers had always longed for a child ever since he'd held his newborn niece and since Kim had accepted his marriage proposal last week, for the first time he had hope that one day he'd have one.

  
"That's a little out of character for you, man. Since when were you so wise about stuff like this. Byers, it's not that I don't want the baby, I've gotten over that moment of insanity, it's that my whole life is going to change; I have some doubts and fears about that."

"Oh, sure, you have plenty of doubts and fears. But there's one thing that out weighs all of that. You love Dana and don't want to spend your life without her. So you have to love all of her, and that includes the little person inside and the extra thirty pounds that comes with that," he said with a smile, "Now, if you have changed that stubborn mind of yours, you'd better…"  
  
Mulder leapt out of his chair before Byers finished his speech and ran to the chapel. He saw Dana there lighting a candle with her Mom and Kim. When they finished he heard Dana start to speak to her mom and Kim. He stood in the back, waiting and listening.  
  
"I just don't understand how he can't want this child. It's part of him and me and everything that we have. Walter I can understand, that's fear not indifference, he scared of losing you and of not being there for the child later in life, but Mulder and I, we're young and those things don't matter."  
  
"You're wrong, Scully," he said approaching her. "You are so wrong. I am   
petrified of losing you and of not being a good father and of something   
happening to one or both of us and the baby having no one. But I realize   
that all of those things are just silly fears, and that I want you and I love   
you and I want this baby. I want him to be the best and the worst parts of   
us. I want him to be truly ours, parts of you and parts of me. He'll   
really be ours Scully. I want him, I want to love him, and I do. I love   
you. Please forgive me."  
  
Scully's eyes were filled with tears as she took his face between her hands,   
"No forgiveness is involved. It was a simple miscommunication. Neither one of   
us was really listening to what the other was saying. I love you Fox."  
  
"I love you, too, Dana."  
  
Fox held his wife for a long moment, kissing her hair, knowing that no matter   
what happened in the next seven hours, they would have each other to lean on.

They left the chapel a bit later and tried to eat. Dana and Maggie forced some fruit and Mulder part of a cheese steak. Finally after what seemed like seven days instead of seven hours the doctor approached.  
  
"Mrs. Scully, Mr. and Mrs. Mulder?" The doctor acknowledged the three of them.  
  
"I have some good news and some bad news." He scanned the room and listened   
to the silence that surrounded the cold, white room.  
  
"Mr. Skinner is stable. We have completed the operation and it appears to   
have been a success. We have every reason to hope that Mr. Skinner will make   
a complete recovery."  
  
The whole room breathed a sigh of release as Maggie turned to her daughter   
and embraced her and accepted the strength she offered.  
  
"But..." The doctor continued.  
  
"He will have to receive physical therapy for at least 3 months to get him   
walking again. The heart attack and surgery has left him very weak. He's   
not paralyzed, it's not a like a stroke, it's just the amount of bed rest he's   
going to need in the next few weeks will deteriorate his legs muscles and   
even the therapy we'll be giving him in bed here will not be enough. It will   
be awhile before he's doing much under his own power. He'll need rest and   
some intense care at first, but he will get better. This is really minimal   
compared to the amount of damage that would remain with a stroke. This may   
bring some awkwardness, but you'll work through it. He's a very lucky man."   
  
"Can I see him?" Maggie asked shaking; one hand placed over her stomach, as   
if to protect her unborn child from the news, as if to reassure it and herself that Walter would make it.  
  
"He's still unconscious, but I can let you see him for a few minutes. Mr.   
and Mrs. Mulder, you can see him when Mrs. Scully is finished."  
  
Maggie walked down the hall to Walter's room. He looked so vulnerable in the   
bed. Fox and Dana just watched her, and then Dana turned and buried her face in   
Fox's shoulder.  
  
"This is going to be so hard on her. She's shouldn't be having a baby at her age, but since she is, he shouldn't be doing this to her."  
  
"Whoa, now wait a minute. He didn't do this, Dana. No one did, it's no   
one's fault."  
  
"I know that, but it's so unfair, he's so healthy and now..."  
  
"Now, it's going to take a little time, but he'll be good as new. Dana, you   
know this, it's in your head. You're a doctor; you know that things could   
have been a lot worse. He could have had a stroke, he could be permanently   
disabled. He's just a little weak now and needs rest."  
  
"I'm sorry, Mulder. It's the hormones, I sometimes feel like I can't stop   
crying. I can't deal with things as well as I used to, " she sniffed and blushed a bit.  
  
Mulder held her a little closer and kissed her hair.  
  
"Let's sit down and wait for your mom to come out. She's going to need us a   
even more now."  
  
Maggie walked to Walter's bedside. He looked like he was asleep. Not at all   
like he'd just defied the odds and survived a serious operation relatively   
unscathed, or like he would be facing months of therapy and rehab. She took his   
hand and placed a kiss on his knuckles.  
  
"Hey, sweetheart. I'm here, and it looks like you're going to be all right.   
I can't tell you how happy that makes me; I can't tell you how happy I am   
that our baby will know her daddy, even if you aren't really ready to accept   
her yet."  
  
"Fox, he finally came around to Dana and the baby. He's ecstatic now and when   
he really gets used to the idea, he's going to be impossible. There won't be   
a book unread or a possibility unexplored. It'll drive Dana crazy."  
  
"Mulder always did drive Dana crazy. Let's just hope he doesn't take us   
along for the ride..." Walter said weakly, not opening his eyes, but squeezing her hand  
  
"Walt, are you all right. How do you feel?"  
  
"Like my head weighs too much for my body. My chest hurts." He had no power in his voice, no strength at all.  
  
"I know, sweetheart, and it will for awhile. Just try and relax. Do you   
want an extra pillow? Are you warm enough?"  
  
"Yes, Maggie, you don't have to fuss. How am I? What did the doctor say?" He was concerned for himself but more so for her and the baby. If he were very sick…  
  
"Well, he said that you are going to be fine but it's going to take some time   
for you to recover. You're heart condition and the surgery has left you very   
weak. You are going to need a lot of care at first, but you'll be as good as   
new. You should even be able to go back to work in a few months."  
  
"Care? What kind of care?" He didn't like the sound of that.  
  
"Well, I don't know, at first you'll have to stay in bed most of the time.   
And later, I suppose just whatever help you need with whatever is hard for   
you. And I'm going to make sure you are cared for, I lost one man I loved to   
a bad heart, I don't want to lose another one." She massaged his knuckles and felt him relaxing a bit at his prognosis.  
  
"So I'll be in the hospital?" He hoped the answer was yes, she didn't need the hassle.  
  
"No, I'll take care of you at home," she told him, giggling like she saw something funny.  
  
"I don't think that's such a good idea. What about you and the baby. You   
need rest; you don't need to keep after me. You have someone even more   
precious to take care of. Our little girl or little boy needs you to be   
healthy, I can take care of myself," he protested trying to sit up, but not   
having the strength.  
  
"No, it's seems quite obvious that you can't. You can't even sit up by   
yourself. You are going to have to let me help you. I love you, and I'm   
going to be there for you. Now, I know Dana and Fox want to see you before   
the doctor kicks us out for you to rest, so I'll get them. I love you so much, Walt."  
  
"I love you too, Maggie." He meant it. Hopefully, Mulder and Scully would see it his way, if he couldn't care for himself.  
  
Maggie went down the corridor where her daughter and son-in-law were waiting.   
They went back to Walter's room and saw that familiar, determined AD look on   
his features, Mulder and Scully exchanged looks.  
  
"Hello, Sir. How are you feeling?" Scully asked in a voice she could have used on peds patients.  
  
"Very worried and frustrated. Tell me Scully was your grandmother as   
stubborn as you and your mother? Because if she was, I hope this baby's a boy.   
Let me put this plainly, I don't want your mother to take care of me, it's   
not fair to her, having a baby and having to do everything for me. I wanted   
to ask, could I stay at your place just for awhile? I realize that Dana is   
pregnant too but your place is bigger and I can hire a nurse..."his voice   
trailed off as exhaustion seemed to overtake him.  
  
"All right, Sir, you can stay with us. You are all ready overdoing it, rest   
now," said Scully, kissing his head before she and Mulder left the room.  
  
"Your mom is really going to hate this idea. She's like the Red Cross, the   
United Nations and the good fairy all rolled into one." Mulder quipped. He knew Skinner was right, it would be easier.  
  
"Well, which one of us is going to tell her?" Dana asked, knowing Mulder was right.  
  
"Tell me what?" asked Maggie who had walked over to them, a snickers bar in   
each hand, "Here, not healthy but it'll hold us over until dinner. Tell me   
what? Walter's not worse or anything is he?" She felt her heart rate quicken with worry.  
  
"Um, no, Mom, listen," Mulder began, "He has asked Scully and I to oversee   
his recovery. It's not something he wants to burden you with."  
  
"It's not a burden, I love him, and I want to do this for him." She put it simply. Her mind was made up.  
  
"I know Mom, but, Walter doesn't want that and we have to honor his wishes.   
And Scully is a doctor and she could help him on a deeper lever than you or   
even I could. Now, let's go home and we'll see if we can talk to him   
tomorrow." Mulder wanted to keep her calm, and he hoped Skinner would agree to let Maggie help out with his recovery, but for now, they both needed to rest.  
  
Maggie let Fox lead her out of the hospital and insisted on sitting in the   
back seat on the way home; so that her daughter and son would not see the   
pain she held in her eyes or discover the rejection she felt in her heart.

That night, Mulder held Scully closer than he had in a long time.  He felt awful for the things he'd said to her when she first announced she was expecting a child.  Scully sensed her husband was still distressed about something, so she rolled over onto her side to meet his hazel gaze, "What is it, Mulder?"

"I'm just so damned sorry, Scully.  I didn't mean to hurt your feelings about the baby, it's just that…" he trailed off, and she raised her eyebrow at him.

"What, Honey?" she questioned.

"It's just that I'm so scared that something is going to happen to you.  If something did, I'd never live throught it…"

"Mulder," she cut him off.

"It's true, Dana.  You complete me. You are my entire life and without you in it, it's not worth anything.  It's not worth living."

Scully smiled a tiny smile and reached out to caress his cheek, "Fox, I understand you're frightened, but, Sweetie, I need you with me now, not against me, I need your support and your love.  I hate it when we fight, Fox and I was so scared that you'd decide you really didn't want me and the baby anymore."

Mulder tightened his grip on Scully and kissed her with fierce passion, "I'm so sorry I made you feel that way.  Please, my love, forgive me?" he asked.

"I all ready have, Fox.  Now, if you don't want me to angry with you all over again, you'll hold me tonight while I get some sleep.  I need to get to the hospital early tomorrow otherwise Mom will be there by herself and with Walter still so weak…"

"It kind of makes you think, doesn't it?" Mulder asked as he held her tighter, "about what's important."

"It most certainly does," she whispered. "I just hope that Skinner decided to let Mom take care of him, it will break her heart if he persists with this foolishness."  Mulder nodded against his hair and placed a kiss there. "I love you, Scully," he said after a moment of silence.

"And I love you, Mulder," she whispered drowsily, falling asleep in his arms.


	2. Parts Six through Ten

Disclaimer:  I do not own these characters so I'll return them if more that slightly warped.

Chapter 6

As it happened, Skinner didn't change his mind. He was adamant about not burdening Maggie. He moved in with Scully and Mulder and at first required help with everything from going to the bathroom to shaving. He improved slowly but surely and after two months was taking daily walks with Mulder. Maggie came every day to help, but Walter sent her home every night.  They had very little time to themselves. One day in mid- June, Mulder and Scully decided it was time for them to have a little time alone, so Mulder treated Scully to dinner at her favorite restaurant, leaving Maggie to tend to Walter.  That would be good deed ended in disaster.

Skinner had taken his daily walk with Mulder and had returned tired and more winded than usual.  He was feeling his age and condition more than he had felt it in weeks.  Maggie was in the ladies' room when Mulder and Scully left.  Skinner was half sitting, half lying on the couch when Maggie came down from the bathroom. She'd heard Fox and Dana leave, and was personally glad for this time alone with Walter. She only wished that he...no, Maggie don't get on that again, you'll just end you arguing with him.   
  
He looked a bit tired and pale today and she couldn't help worrying about him, though she'd try not to let it show. He appeared to be sleeping when she got into the parlor, but turned his head and smiled at her, "Hey," and pulled himself fully into the sitting position.   
  
"Hey honey, how are you feeling"?   
  
"I'm all right. A bit worn from keeping up with Rocket Man Mulder out there, but all in all not bad," he told her raising his arm so she'd come sit beside him. Maggie smiled glad that he was almost back to his normal self though still was a little concerned as he was extreamly pale. "Hmmm. Would you like me to make some homemade soup?"   
  
"Nah," he shook his head, "I'm not hungry. Just come and sit beside me a moment," he whispered, closing his eyes again.   
  
"Okay but are you sure"? she asked, sweetly, he really should eat something.  
  
"Margaret, what did we talk about just yesterday? I'm fine, if I'm hungry, I'll ask for something to eat."   
  
Margaret let that go and cuddled up against him, her head against his shoulder. He'd gained some of the weight back, but the muscle tone in his shoulders was still not as it had once been. She loved him so much and it scared her to death that she'd nearly lost him, the same way that she had lost Bill. A small grunt of discomfort and a slight shiver from Skinner caught her attention and she sat up straight, "What? What is it"?   
  
Skinner shifted uncomfortablely, "A little pain, that's all."   
  
"Where? Where does it hurt"? She soothed.  
  
"My chest, Maggie. I had heart surgery, where do you think it hurts?" Then, "I'm sorry, Baby, I didn't mean to snap."   
  
"It's okay" Maggie replied a little put out.  
  
"No, it's not.I'm sorry I upset you," he told her, "All I seem to do lately is upset you."   
  
"It's okay really. I understand what you're going through," she told him gently, he looked even paler.  
  
"You have no idea, Maggie," he told her, grunting a bit again, placing his hand to his chest.   
  
"Well then describe it to me, describe the pain," she instructed, wanting to know, wanting to help.  
  
"It's not the pain, Maggie, it's being so...it's having to...it's relying on you for everything when you are in no condition to deal with something like this."   
  
"But i like to help"   
  
"I don't need your help, Maggie, not at the expense of the baby," he said stiffly, leaning on his cane attempting to rise from the sofa.   
  
"I'm not trying to take away you independance Walter"   
  
"I know that, Love, but you can't take care of me all the time, you have to take care of yourself now, and our little boy or girl. That's what's important."   
  
She sub-conciusly touched her stomach and gently sighed. "What's the matter?" he asked, stopping on his way to the kitchen to give her his attention.   
  
"It's just. I feel that you're slipping away from me," she mumbled to her stomach.  
  
Skinner decided to ignore his pain and headed back to his lover on the couch, "Maggie, I'm not slipping away from you, I'm trying to protect you. I love you, Sweetheart and I love the baby and, Maggie you aren't twenty anymore, neither of us is and," he bit his lip, "I just...if something happened to you, I don't know what I'd do."   
  
"Walter, i don't need coddling," she insisted.  
  
"Yes, Maggie you do. Look at you, you are exhausted, your ankles are swollen, I know your blood pressure is high, you need to take care of yourself now. I can take care..." he stopped midsentence to catch his breath.   
  
"Walter?"   
  
He breathed a bit faster, the pain from the scar burning, his chest aching, "I can take care of myself he finished, rising up from his crouch and making his way to the kitchen for his meds.   
  
"No you can't"   
  
"Excuse me?" he raised his voice and his eyebrow pausing again.   
  
"You can't take care of yourself"   
  
"What do you mean? I can't take care of myself! I'm doing it now aren't I?"   
  
"No you can't take care of yourself. You're still sick and weak and"...  
  
"You're right, I am sick, I'm sick of you treating me like an invalid. I had a heart attack, I'll live..."  
  
"Yeah today you will"   
  
"Maggie, look. I don't feel well, I'm tired. I'd like to take my medicine and take a rest, but I can't do that if I know you are going to sit in that chair and fret and fuss. That is bad for my heart."   
  
"Well why don't you rest and I get the meds"? She asked exasperated   
  
"No, not if you're going to make a big deal out of it. You need your rest as well."  
  
"For gods sake Walter! Do you see Fox fussing over dana? No"   
  
"Dana is not fifty-two years old, Margaret." he shot back.   
  
"I'm fifty-one"   
  
"Still, it is very dangerous to have a baby at your age. You could die, the baby could die, and if that happens..."   
  
"Oh for gods sake Walter. You think i don't know that"?   
  
"Then please, Maggie, take care of yourself and our child, the baby is helpless. I'm not. If we are going to be married, you have to learn to listen to me."   
  
"I do listen to you"   
  
"No you don't. If you did you'd have gone home and rested when I asked you. I don't need you here, Margaret. I love you and I love spending time with you, but if you insist on continuing to smother me like, this, I can't take it Maggie. I can't take worrying about you."   
  
Maggie struggled to remain calm, she didn't want to excite Walter and she didn't want to excite herself for in doing so, she'd only end up exciting Walter, so instead she launched another query that had been haunting her mind. "Well then Walter, tell me this. Why didn't you tell me about the last attack? Were you afrraid what i would say"?   
  
"Maggie, we'd just begun dating when I had the first heart attack. I wasn't that serious and I knew that you'd lost your Bill to a bad heart and...damn it Maggie, I loved you too much to risk losing you."   
  
"Walter, please don't bring Bill into this," she pleaded, tears welling in her blue eyes.  
  
"He's an issue here, Maggie. Oh, Honey, please don't cry," he pleaded, seeing the tears start to fall. "I'm only trying to protect you, there are a lot of things I can't tell you, just for that reason."   
  
"Well for gods sake honey! If i'm you rwife and you can't tell me things, then i see this engagement going nowehere"!   
  
"Margaret, please, you know in my job, just like in Dana's, there are things that are confidential," Skinner told her, feeling in his gut where this was headed and feeling powerless to stop it.  
  
"Oh please Walter, now who's not listening! I'm not talking about your work. I'm talking about you! Your life, your health, your worries, your fears. I'm never a part of any of it"!   
  
"You don't need to be exposed to that, don't you understand. I can't let you see that side of me. You know who I am, but if you know what I've done, I'd lose you Maggie, I know I would."   
  
Tears were beginning to form in his brown eyes, and he studied the floor so that she wouldn't see them. He had lost her, in that one sentence, he knew she'd leave him. It was just a question of when.   
  
"Walter i do want to know all those things, In marriage, you're not suppsed to keep any secrets. Now I understand, in your line of work, there are secrets to keep, but your personal life, married people, people in love share all of those things, my love."  
  
"Maggie, some things...there are things that I haven't told anyone, can't tell anyone. I have a hard enough time excepting them myself. I never even told Sharon." Skinner once again, raised his hand to his chest and gently massaged the area where the pain was increasing. He was exhausted and moved to a chair and sat down heavily.   
  
"Okay for the third time Walt. If we cannot communicate in this relationship, then I see it going nowhere," she told him, ignoring the signal whistles in her head telling her he was truly not feeling well.  
  
He looked up at her, his face stoic, eyes red and burning with unshed tears, "What are you saying Maggie? Spell it out."   
  
"I'm saying that if we cannot talk, then there's no point to continuing this engagement." She said it firmly, definitively as she slid the diamond off her finger and placed it on the polished wood table in front of him. She said nothing else, she just took a deep breath and left him, alone, in the room.

Chapter 7

Skinner asked for her the day and Scully finding her mother's absence strange  had obligingly called her. She didn't answer so Scully drove over to her apartment.

"Mom! Mom, are you home?" Dana called as she entered her family home with the key her Mom gave her many years ago.  
  
"I'm in the attic, Dana. Come up and see what I found."  
  
Dana climbed the winding stairs slowly careful of her now rounding stomach. Maggie was seated on the floor amidst baby clothes and toys, smiling, if a bit forlornly at the memories the items brought back to her.  She should be sharing this with Walter, but instead, his stubbornness and her pride had caused them to separate before their child was given life.    
  
"What are you doing up here? Walter's been asking for you and I've been calling you for hours. You had us so worried." Scully sighed. It wasn't like her mother to be like this.  
  
"Oh, now he's asking for me. He didn't get enough of berating me the other day for not taking care of myself and his baby. Every day since he's been out of the hospital it's been, Fox and Dana can handle it, Maggie. You don't have to do that, Maggie!" She slowly let out her breath.  
  
"I love him and I need to take care of him for myself, for my own peace of mind."  
  
"Mom. I know but this is just his way of doing things. You know that, just like you knew it was Mulder's weird way of protecting himself by rejecting the baby in the beginning. He hates being weak and helpless and at least for the last two months, he was."  
  
"Dana, I don't know what to do. I feel so confused. I know I shouldn't be upset with him, he's been through so much and he's still so ill. I shouldn't be reacting like this, but I can't help it, I'm just so angry at him!"  
  
"Mom," Dana said, gently, putting her arms around her mother. "I only want to say this once; you are not behaving like yourself. Maybe its hormones, maybe its the stress of pregnancy this late in life, maybe you just don't love Walter the way you thought you did, but Mom, what you are doing, the anger, the hostility, it's killing him."  
  
"I love him, Dana, it's not anger or hostility, it's...it's..."  
  
"Fear? Mom, are you afraid Walter's going to die, like Daddy?"  
  
"Your father never had a chance to recover from his heart attack, he just died and I couldn't take care of him or tell him I loved him and that I'd miss him, and I suppose that I'm afraid Walter's going to get worse and I won't be able to tell him how I feel." Margaret stifled a sob as she thought of her late husband. Suddenly it all made sense to Scully, she could help now.  
  
"Then let's go over to my house and you can tell him. Go to him and tell him, you love him, you want to be there for him, it hurts you when he shuts you out, and that you're afraid to lose him."  
  
"I can't do that. He can't handle that stress, he needs..."Dana cut her off.  
  
"He doesn't need to be coddled or treated like a child. He just needs to be loved."  
  
Maggie's face suddenly shifted as she faced her only daughter. "Oh, Dana, what have I done? How could I have been so cruel? I yelled at him and told him that if I wasn't good enough to take care of him, then I guess I wasn't good enough to be his wife. I gave him back the ring."  
  
"Is that what happened last night? I knew he wasn't as well as he'd been, but I had no idea that the two of you had a fight like that."  
  
"Was he sick last night?  He didn't seem to be himself, but I thought that was just because he was angry." Maggie suddenly felt sick and clammy. Had she caused Walter to take a down slide in his progress?  
  
"He was downhearted; I think would be the word. He didn't want to eat and he didn't come out of his room like he usually does. I thought he was tired, he does tire very easily. Oh, Mom, I'm sorry. But hey! Mulder and I fight all of the time and we're still together." She added as if that was some form of consolation.  
  
"Thank you for your fine example sweetie but you are not as sorry as I am Dana, about last night, about everything that's happened. I was so angry with you and Fox for taking Walter's side and even angrier at him for..."  
  
"Mom, tell you what, let's go over to my house, you and Walter can talk and then we'll all eat together, like a family should."  
  
Margaret dried her eyes and got up off the floor, it was then that she noticed the small bulge in her daughter's belly, telling the world of her condition.  
  
"Oh, honey, look, you're really starting to show. Sure you aren't farther along than five months?"  
  
"Yes, Mom.  Now if only I could feel more than a flutter, I'd like one honest to goodness kick. Let's go, you and Walter have a lot to talk about."  
  
Scully took her mothers arm and helped her downstairs.  
  
"Ow! Jesus." Scully rubbed her stomach over the small bulge.  
  
"Are you all right?" Asked her mother.  
  
"Yeah. The baby just kicked, hard," she laughed.

  
"Well, then looks like you got what you asked for doesn't it?" Her mother replied, more tartly than intended. Off the look on her daughters face she softly amended the sharp retort.  
  
"Hormones." As a means of explanation.  
  
Scully smiled and led her mother to the car out on the drive.  
  
While Scully was in charge of talking sense in to her mother, Mulder was left in charge of Walter. The two men walked in silence around the Mulder's block. Walking was supposed to be good for Walter, but even short, slow strolls sapped his strength. Today was worse than yesterday, today they had to stop several times for Walter to take a break and he complained more of pain and tiredness.  
  
"Walter, you have to have a twenty minute walk twice a day. We've only been out here five minutes, usually I have to drag you back in. What's going on?" Mulder was worried, but he let it go. Walter's face was pale as Mulder studied it, but he let that go too.  
  
"She gave me back the ring," Walter said softly, pain in his voice.  
  
"What? Mom did that?"  
  
"Yeah, she doesn't want to marry me."  
  
"She's just upset, the pregnancy hormones are wreaking havoc on her personality, I know all too well," Mulder tried to make light of the situation, Scully could be unreasonable on a good day, more than likely Maggie was the same way.  
  
"Scully driving you a little crazy?" Walter asked, his step swaying a bit. He slowed down.  
  
"She's doing that nesting thing, she keeps cleaning, and then I can't find anything. I don't care if she cleans the house, but not the study or the office. Those are Fox Mulder's private domains."  
  
"If you said that to Scully I'm surprised you still have the equipment to make babies with," Walter quipped, he knew Scully's temper. Maggie had the same one.  
  
"Yeah, well, you have to grin and bear it, it's only supposed to last two months."  
  
"So, really Walter, what is going on with you and Mom? I understand you didn't want to burden her 24 hours a day at first, with the baby and everything, but she's probably hurting that you don't want to lean on her. I know how hurt Scully was after I got back from Alaska and didn't want her to see me..."  
  
"I told her that I wanted to give her time to take care of herself and my little one. The last thing I need is her getting sick or hurt or anything. I told her you and Dana could handle it and that she didn't have to do so much for me."  
  
"And what she heard was I don't need you and I don't want you, and probably in the hormone enraged brain of hers, I don't love you."  
  
"Oh, Fox, do you really think she thinks that," he said, stopping for a minute to look at Fox, "I have to..."  
  
Just as he said that he felt his legs go out from under him and Fox's arm support him, "You okay, Walt? Want to rest?" Mulder asked, helping him sit on a porch step.  
  
"Just a minute..." he was gasping and his color was draining from his face, leaning heavily on his son in law.  
  
"Walter, breathe slowly. Sit down on the step. Are you in any pain?" Mulder asked worriedly.  
  
Walter nodded and indicated his chest.   
  
"Can't breathe," he wheezed, lips turning blue and his head lolling from side to side.  
  
"Relax, Dad, I'm going to call 911," Mulder said gently, a hand on Walter's shoulder.  
  
"Maggie, please, call Maggie..." His voice was weak, he was pleading with him, tears of pain in his eyes.  
  
"I will. Ambulance first hold on, look at me..."  
  
"911 emergency, may I help you?"  
  
  
"Yes, this is Special Agent Fox Mulder; I have an emergency at 413 West Carter Road. The Assistant Director is having a heart attack. He's just had a heart attack two months ago and is having shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness in his legs, and chest pain. He had open heart surgery, "he explained, trying to remain calm.  
  
"Agent Mulder, an ambulance is en route. Now keep him relaxed, lay him down and elevate his legs," the operator directed.  
  
Mulder followed the instruction and was relieved to hear sirens approaching at a rapid pace.  
  
"Dad, the ambulance is here? Walter? Sir?" Mulder was screaming, trying to get an answer from his boss and soon to be father-in-law.  
  
The only word Skinner uttered, in his last grip on consciousness was Maggie.   
  
Meanwhile, Dana and her Mom reached the house and found it empty.   
  
"Mulder and Walter must be out on their walk. I swear Mulder gets a real kick out of that time together. I know they talk about me and "hormones" but it's worth it to see Mulder have a father figure. He needs that to be a good dad, I mean, grandpa and Daddy had a great relationship, and Daddy and the boys. I wanted that for Fox and hopefully, he'll get that from Walter." There was unmistakable hope in Dana's voice and Maggie smiled. She and her daughter were too very lucky women.   
  
Suddenly, the color drained from Maggie's face and she stumbled.  
  
"Mom," Dana rushed to her mother's side, "are you all right? What's wrong?"  
  
"There's nothing wrong. Not with me. It's Walter, something's happened?" Maggie was scared; she could feel her body grow cold, just like, just like... Just like it had when Bill died.

"All right, Mom. Come over here and sit down. If Mulder and Walter aren't back in ten minutes, I'll go out and drive along their route and see if I can find them." Dana kept her voice even, but she knew that if her mother was having one of her "feelings" she had a good chance of being on target. She knew about Duane Barry, and about her feelings for Fox. The excitement though was not something that Walter would want Maggie to feel.  
  
"Dana, I know you don't believe me, that I can feel these things, but..."  
  
Just then, the phone rang cutting Maggie off. She lunged for it and picked it up.  
  
"Hello, Mulder residence," she said anxiously.  
  
"Mom, good there you are. I need to talk to Dana for a second first..."  
  
"Fox, is something wrong with Walter? Tell me, please, I need to know."  
  
Her tone begged him; she had tears in her voice, tears of real genuine fear. He had to tell her where they were.  
  
"Mom, listen carefully, Walter and I are at the hospital. He had another heart attack we think, he had pain and weakness while we were walking. Dr. Sklodonski is in with him. He was calling for you until he became unconscious."  
  
"Oh, God, tell me, is it..."  
  
"I don't know, Mom. Listen, the doctor is coming out, have Dana drive you and meet us here," he instructed in a no nonsense voice before hanging up.  
  
Maggie rose on shaky legs and looked at her daughter. "Dana that was Fox. We have to get to the hospital, Walter, he's...he's sicker, or, I have to get to him." Maggie was becoming agitated and worried.  
  
"All right, Mom. Put your jacket on and I'll take you there right now. Try and calm down, this excitement is not good for the baby."  
  
Maggie took a few deep breaths and quickly followed Dana out the door, leaving the tea mugs on the table, still brewing, abandoned and forgotten in their state of panic.  
  
The twenty minute drive to the hospital took only ten and felt like fifty. Dana let Maggie out first, and then went around to Visitor's Parking. She knew how upset her mother was and that wasn't likely to change until she got to Walter.  
  
Maggie practically ran down the hallway until she saw Fox sitting with Dr. Sklodonski and another young girl she didn't know. They all had a serious look on their face, and Maggie got a cold, sinking feeling in her stomach.  
  
"Ah, Mrs. Scully," Dr. Edward Sklodonski said as he rose from his seat and shook her hand, "Where is Dr. Mulder?"  
  
"I'm here," Dana called out, approaching the quartet seated on the uncomfortable waiting room chairs. "Please, tell me, how's Walter?"  
  
"Well, he had an anxiety attack. Normally, we'd just prescribed rest and tell him to reduce stress, however, with his heart all ready weakened, and attack put more strain on the muscle and caused a second attack. And to add flame to the fire, his blood pressure spiked to unparallel levels and he..."  
  
"No!" Maggie cried out, covering her mouth with a shaking hand. "He can't be! I never told him I was..."  
  
"Mrs. Scully," Dr. Sklondonski said, patting her knee, "He's not dead, he's still with us. What I was trying to say is, the spike in blood pressure cause him to suffer a stroke. This young lady is Dr. Lisa Wallace, she's a neurologist in charge of Walter's case, Lisa."  
  
"Thank you, Ed," the young blonde said, as she turned to look directly at Dana Mulder, "Dr. Mulder, I presume?"  
  
"Yes, I'm Dr. Dana Mulder, and this is my mother, Margaret Scully. She is AD Skinner's fiancée."  
  
"Mrs. Scully, the Assistant Director has had a stroke that primarily affects the speech area resulting in a condition know as aphasia. He is also having difficulty chewing and swallowing, a condition known as dysphasia. There also appears to be some signs of left hemiplegia, causing numbness and loss of motor function on the left side of his body. There is a small bit of good news from the initial exam; he has some tingling on the left side of his body and a little movement in his left hand, not much. But there is some hope.  
  
"I have an outline procedure that I like to follow..."  
  
"Dr. Wallace," Mulder cut her off, "With all due respect, this is a little much for my mother-in-law to take in with her being pregnant and all. Why don't we hold off on the course of treatment options until she's had a chance to see for herself that he's alive and as well as can be expected." Mulder had set his arm around Maggie's shoulder and held her close when he felt her shudder.  
  
"This is all my fault. I can't believe I did that to him, I can't believe I hurt him like that. That was so inconsiderate of me, how could I?" Maggie lamented, burying her head in her son-in-law's shoulder.  
  
"Mom," Dana said, touching her mother's shoulder, "This could have happened anywhere, fight or no fight. Just be thankful it happened when someone was around to call the ambulance. Do you think you could...?"  
  
Before Dana could finish talking, she was interrupted by a young candy striper that had come from Walter's room.  
  
"Dr. Sklodonski, the stroke in 405 is mumbling something. I can't quite make it out but it sounds like a name."  
  
"Mrs. Scully, would you like to see Walter now, because if what Katie told me is correct, he wants to see you."  
  
"How could he after what I did to him?" she sobbed.  
  
"He loves you, Mom. You'll make him better," Fox assured her, "Come on."  
  
Dr. Sklodonski followed the trio to the room. He was aware of the range of emotions that could be experienced when a family member saw a stroke victim for the first time.  
  
Walter was hooked to more tubes and machines than he had been after the heart attack. There were not only the pulsometer and heart monitor on him, but now an EEG as well. His eyes were open and locked on Maggie when he saw her. She moved to the right side of the bed so she could hold him hand and have him feel her love.   
  
"Hi, sweetheart. How are you feeling."?  
  
_"Like shit," he thought to himself._ All he could manage out loud was, "MMM..."  
  
"Yes, darling. I'm here, I'm here. I love you, so much Walter. I want to be your wife, and I can't wait to have your child. He or she is growing every day, and he or she can't wait to see you, Daddy."  
  
"LLL...ovvv... ooo, ttt.ooo," he managed with great effort.  
  
"I thought the doctor said he couldn't speak," Maggie asked her eyes glowing.  
  
"Mrs. Scully, this particular speech area is responsible for the formation of words, not the retrieval of words. The facial paralysis doesn't make it any easier for him. He knows what he wants to say, he just can't say it. He may not be able to write either, we'll see about that. Encourage him to use his speech. He may slur and stammer, but you'll have to be patient with him."  
  
Skinner was lying there listening to the doctor talk around him. It was frustrating, he could still think, damn it!  
  
"Mmmmm...eerrr, ooo."  
  
"I know, darling. Dr. Sklodonski, please inform Walter of Dr. Wallace's prognosis."  
  
"Well, Mr. Skinner, you may have problems swallowing and chewing, and also walking and maintaining balance. With work however you will be able to walk again and live a normal life with the lovely Mrs. Scully and your baby."  
  
Dana and Fox had remained silent throughout, watching the AD struggle to speak and cope with his disabilities. They watched Maggie hold his hand and kiss the palm and murmur of her love for him. This information was coming all at once and he needed her now.  
  
Tears coursed down their cheeks as he uttered to her that he loved her too. He motioned to Mulder to come closer and mumbled the word "pocket."  
  
Mulder went into the AD's pocket and pulled out a small diamond ring. He'd carried it with him, to keep her close to him even when they were driven apart by their differences. He put it in the AD's right hand so he could put it on Maggie's finger.  
  
"Mmm...aaree, eee," he asked, love shining in the depths of his eyes.  
  
"Yes, oh, yes," she said, smiling and returning his love tenfold.

Chapter 8

Three weeks later, Walter Skinner left Northeast Georgetown Hospital his   
doting fiancée at his side. As per Dr. Wallace's prognosis, his speech and   
swallowing remained affected, and his left side retained some residual   
paralysis. He had almost full use of his left leg, with the use of a brace   
and four-legged cane, but his arm hung mostly useless at his side. His   
speaking had cleared significantly since the first week he was in the   
hospital, but certain sounds or long complicated words were still stuttered   
or slurred, mostly the one with -th or -sh sounds. If he was tired or upset   
about something, all of his deficits were more pronounced making it difficult   
for him to hide his feelings from Maggie.  
  
Maggie had been wonderful through out the whole thing. While the stroke had   
been a major health setback, it had done wonders for their relationship.   
Skinner had allowed her to give in to her caretaker tendencies and she'd   
blossomed. He watched her unfold like a flower offering him support and   
tender loving care. He hated doing it, but she seemed less tired and   
stressed since she took over his care than when he was staying with Mulder   
and Scully.  
  
Now she stood nestled against his right side, her arm around his waist while   
offering him support disguised as affection. They were waiting for Fox and   
Dana to come and get them from the hospital. They were going to have lunch   
and discuss their wedding, something Walter had insisted on doing in the near   
future. He wanted Maggie to be a Skinner before their baby was born. It was   
something he regretted not doing before he got sick. They'd been waiting for   
about ten minutes when Maggie began shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.  
  
"Where are those two kids?" she asked impatiently, "Some of us aren't thirty   
any more and it's hot out here."  
  
"I'm fine, Maggie, don't worry," he replied, assuming she was worried about   
him.  
  
"I know you are, Sweetheart. It's me I'm not so sure about. Carrying around   
all of this extra baby weight is taking it's toll."  
  
"Do you want to go inside and sit down?" he asked concerned.  
  
"No, we'll miss them then," she answered, her hand massaging her rounding   
belly, "Let's just go sit on that bench over there." Maggie holding his arm   
and turning toward the seat. They took a few steps and she cried out, "OH!"  
  
Walter turned and placed his shaky right hand on her back. His heart skipped   
a beat. What else could go wrong?  
  
"Maggie, what's is it?" he asked his speech slow and slurred.  
  
Maggie took a few deep breaths, then look up at him, tears in her eyes.  
  
"Oh, Walt, the baby..." she began. He cut her off.  
  
"What about the baby, Maggie? Is something wrong? I'll get the doctor."   
Walter started to go inside, but Maggie called to him, stilling him.  
  
"Walter, no. There's nothing wrong. Come here, feel." She was smiling as   
she placed his large hand on her belly. Then he felt it, what had caused   
Maggie to cry out, not in pain but in surprise for he then did the same   
thing.  
  
"Oh, my God, Maggie. Is that...was that?" he sputtered with barely contained   
excitement.  
  
"Yes, my love that is our baby. Our little boy or girl is...is..." she was   
beginning to cry.  
  
"Is what, Baby? What?" Walter crooned, sensing her distress.  
  
"Alive, Walter. Our baby is alive and real and oh God how I love you," she   
said with conviction, leaning into his strength as much as she felt was safe   
to do. Walter held her, his arm wrapped securely around her until he heard   
Kim's voice call out to him.  
  
"Sir, do you need any help with the bags?"  
  
She had Byers with her; he was coming up the walk closer to them.  
  
"Hello, John," Maggie greeted warmly, "where are Fox and Dana?"  
  
"Mulder called me early this morning and said he had to take Scully to the   
doctor. He asked if I wouldn't mind picking you guys up and bringing you to   
their place," Byers informed them  
  
"Why did Dana have to go to the doctor?" Maggie asked anxiously as she and   
Walter began to move toward the car. Kimberly opened the back door for   
Maggie and Walter insisted on helping her inside. Then worked his way to the   
other side of the car and realized maybe he should have asked Maggie to help   
him instead of the other way around. He couldn't seem to get his left leg up   
over the rise of the car. Kim noticed his dilemma and like the great   
secretary she was pretended to drop her purse on the ground near the AD. She   
then gently pushed the offending leg up over its hurdle and settling him in   
the car.  
  
"I've gotten clumsy in my old age," she muttered to herself,   
settling herself in the car.  
  
"You never answered my question," Maggie probed as Byers started to drive   
away from the hospital, "why is Dana at the doctor?"  
  
"I don't know," Kim answered truthfully. "Mulder just told John that we   
needed to get you from the hospital."  
  
"He seemed a little on edge, but not panicked. It can't be anything   
serious."  
  
Just as those words left Byers's mouth, Dana was lying on an examination   
table in Dr. Ragner's office. She had a scare that morning when she was in   
the shower. When she was washing herself, she'd seen some blood on the   
sponge. Mulder had wanted to take her to the hospital, but she wanted to   
call the doctor instead. Paula Ragner, her OBGYN, said to come in right away.  
  
She'd just finished her internal pelvic exam and was about to conduct an  
ultrasound. Fox held his wife's hand and felt the slight tremor there. She   
was scared and he couldn't blame her. Their family had been through a lot in   
the past three months or so and he knew she was wondering could all of that   
stress have impacted negatively on their baby.  
  
"Dana, whatever happens, I want you to know I love you very much. I'm sure   
this is nothing, but just know that ok?" he told her voice filled with   
emotion as he squeezed his hand.  
  
"I do, Fox. I love you too."  
  
Just then Dr. Ragner entered and smiled at the worried young couple before   
her. "Well, let's see. The initial exam did not show any problems but I   
want to do a sonogram just to have a peek at the baby. The spotting seems to   
have stopped Dana, so I don't think there's anything to worry about."  
  
Fox watched as the doctor spread this green looking jelly on Dana's stomach   
and  
asked anxiously, "That's not going to hurt her is it?"  
  
"No," Dana laughed, "It tickles."  
  
Dr. Ragner moved the stylus across Dana's belly and suddenly an image   
appeared on the screen. She made some notes on her clipboard and then   
stopped and said, "Oh, shit!"  
  
"Oh, shit!" Mulder exclaimed, "Oh, shit? Oh shit is not good, why did you   
say oh shit." He let go of Dana's hand and started to pace.  
  
"There's a little something on the ultrasound you should know about," Dr.   
Ragner told him.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Dana asked anxiously.  
  
"Um, no. This isn't news I get to give every day. Dana, Fox, you are having   
twins."  
  
"Oh, Fox..." Dana breathed, as she watched her husband pace and sputter.  
  
"Twins? Twins? How could we have twins? We're barely ready for one baby!   
Twinsss..."  
  
That was the last phrase he uttered before Fox Mulder collapsed to the floor   
in a dead faint.

Chapter 9

Mulder's next conscious thought was of driving through town. He'd come to in   
the doctor's office, but his mind was still foggy. Twins! He didn't think   
he was ready for one child, let alone twins. Scully was beaming. He watched   
her as she manipulated the Jeep through the streets steering it steadily   
toward their home.   
  
He watched her for few moments before she turned to him and smiled, "You back   
with me, G-man? You were a million miles away."  
  
"I was just thinking, honey," he said mutedly. "We were both so scared this   
morning and then to find out we're not only having one healthy baby, but two.   
It was a little much Scully."  
  
"I know, and so does Dr. Ragner's floor," she laughed. "When do you want to   
tell Mom and Walter?" she asked, wishing he'd say exactly what he did.  
  
"As soon as possible. Byers and Kim were bringing them to our place. Your   
Mom is going to flip. I can't wait to see Skinner's face."  
  
"Well, you won't have a long wait. We're here, G-man."  
  
Mulder got out of the car and walked around to Scully's side, intent upon   
helping her out. She'd barely made it to the ground before her mother and   
Kim rushed out onto the porch.  
  
"Dana, sweetie, are you all right?" Maggie asked, nervously, praying that her   
daughter and her child were all right.  
  
"I'm fine, Mom," she placated, "Did you and Walter get in all right?"  
  
"Yes, but what happened with the doctor?" Maggie asked insistently.  
  
"That's something I only want to say once. Let's go inside so Walter and   
Byers can hear it too." Dana set her arm around Maggie and led her back into   
the house. Mulder and Kim followed behind.  
  
Skinner was seated on Mulder and Scully's easy chair, his legs and arm   
propped up to keep the circulation flowing. He still looked so sickly   
sometimes and seeing him sort of slumped over to one side gave Maggie a   
pang.  
  
"Dana, what happened?" he asked, his speech slurred with apprehension.  
  
"Mom, why don't you sit down with Walter and Mulder could you get everyone   
some drinks?"  
  
"Dana, you are upsetting your Mom, sweetie," chastised Mulder. "Let's just   
tell them."  
  
The tension in the room was growing. What awful thing had happened now they   
all wondered?   
  
"Do you want to do it, Fox?" she asked, trying not to smile.  
  
"I think it should come from you, Dana," he replied keeping his voice even.  
  
"Well, as you know I went to the doctor today and she wanted to run some   
tests to make sure nothing was wrong and well, she found a little something   
in the ultrasound that you should know about."  
  
Maggie gasped and leaned into Walter's shoulder. He patted her arm with his   
good hand. Byers and Kim leaned a bit closer to each other as well, bracing   
themselves for the news.  
  
"What is it, Dana?" Skinner asked, keeping his speech as clear as he could.  
  
"Well, congratulations Grandpa, Mulder and I are going to have twins," she   
could barely contain her happiness.  
  
Maggie leapt out of her chair and almost tripped over Walter's legs as she   
reached out for her daughter. "Oh, Dana, I am so happy for you. This is   
truly a double miracle. Oh, Fox, congratulations," she said hugging her   
son-in-law tight.  
  
Dana was then embraced by Byers and Kim and finally she stood in front of her   
stepfather.  
  
"What do you think?" she asked him. He was looking at her, tears in his   
eyes. He felt like his own child was standing before him telling him this.   
He wanted to get up and hold her and tell her he wished her the best, but   
instead she leaned down to him and kissed his forehead.  
  
"I think that's the best news I've ever heard," he said holding her as best   
he could.  
  
When the hugging and backslapping ceased, Scully looked at Byers and Kim.   
She could tell they were sitting on something.  
  
"Ok, you two, out with it," she commanded.  
  
Kim blushed and leaned a little closer to Byers. 

"Well, as you all know, John has asked me to marry him, and well, what happened with you, Sir, scared us into   
setting a date very quickly. So, we've decided to get married in a quiet   
little ceremony about three weeks from Saturday." Kim could hardly stop   
smiling.  
  
"That is terrific, Kimberly," Dana said smiling and hugging her now very   
close friend.  
  
"There's only one little problem with this whole idea," Byers interjected,   
"We don't have any real idea on how and where to do this. We just want it to be soon."  
  
"Well, we'll help, won't we?" Maggie told her. "We can have the wedding in   
the yard at the Baltimore house. Dana and I will do the food and the   
flowers...it will be very nice, you'll see."  
  
Kim's eyes misted over and for an instant Maggie though she'd said something   
wrong. "You don't like that idea, Kim?" she asked   
  
"No, it's not that, it's just that, this is something I always thought I do   
with my Mom."  
  
"We can..." Maggie began, but Skinner cut her off, "That's every girls dream   
Kimberly, but you have us, huh? We'll make this a very nice wedding for you   
and Byers."  
  
Kim seemed placated by that and smiled. Shortly after Maggie and Dana sat   
down in the kitchen with Kim to go over the guest list and food choices and   
the men sat in the living room watching the Yankee game. Mulder and Byers of   
course cheered on the Yankees, but Skinner prayed silently that the team   
would lose. He hated the Yankees and really didn't know why, he just did.   
He and Mulder had many a disagreement over the team.  
  
After the women came out of the kitchen, Maggie noticed Walter getting tired.   
He was slumping over in the chair and his speech was becoming more   
incoherent. She mentioned this to Kim, who immediately gathered her things   
to leave. She gave Maggie and Dana hugs and left with a smile on her face.  
  
Maggie knew that the next three weeks would be hectic, but they would sure be   
worth it. Now if only she could convince Walter it was time to plan their   
own wedding. Hmm, well, she'd save that for tomorrow; tonight she'd be   
content to curl up on his chest and sleep.

Chapter 10

On the day of Kimberly and Byers wedding, Maggie Scully stood with Kim in   
front of the mirror in Dana's old room. She secured the beige veil on Kim's   
head and smiled at her.  
  
"You look lovely," she said, tucking a hair in place.  
  
"No, I look fat," she whined slightly as she stared back at her reflection in   
the mirror.  
  
"If you look fat, what do I look like," Scully complained. "Carrying twins   
is hard work." She laughed.  
  
"Carrying anything is hard work, dear," Maggie told her, "And just think we   
all have what, a good two months left on this sentence?"  
  
Just then Skinner walked in leaning on his cane, "How's everyone in here?" he   
asked, his speech still exaggerated, but much better, "The groom is in the   
master bedroom trying to remember how to breath. And to think, I get to have   
this fun myself in two weeks."  
  
"You don't want to get married, Walter," Maggie teased.  
  
"To you? Ah," he said approaching her slowly, "With a bride as lovely as   
you, how can a man resist?"  
  
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her lips gently. Dana and Kim blushed   
at the display of love between the older couple.  
  
"Mom!" Scully whispered extremely embarrassed.  
  
"Well," said Maggie pulling away, "let's get this show on the road. Walter,   
why don't you go and see if John is ready."  
  
In Maggie's room, John Byers was staring at himself in the mirror, Mulder   
next to him and Frohike and Langley behind.  
  
"The ladies are ready to start as soon as you can breathe again, John,"   
Skinner told them as he walked through the doorway.  
  
"Oh god. "Byers turned as white as a sheet at the thought. He reached up to   
check for the ring again. For the hundredth time, but Mulder stopped him.  
  
"Hey, you remember what to do. You're going to be fine. Oh and don't check for the   
ring again. It's there in your front pocket. But even if it isn't, I'm   
kidding man. Don't worry. Hell when I married Scully, I lost the wedding   
ring. I thought she was going to murder me. But I made it through the day and   
look where I am now. I have a lovely home, a beautiful wife and two kids on   
the way. Trust me John. It's worth 20 minutes of swearing and sweating."   
Mulder laughed.  
  
"Sure. You're right man. I can do this." He drew in a deep breath and walked   
out of the room into the hallway.  
  
Maggie's living room was lined with white folding chair and adorned with   
white roses and lilies. The music began to play and the guests turned their   
heads to look at the aisle where Kimberly would come down. She descended the   
stairs herself, and then took Skinner's arm when she approached the bottom.   
She'd never been happier or sadder in her life. She was thrilled for   
everything she had, a new family and a caring,wonderful man, yet   
she was sad for everything she'd lost, her parents and her sister.   
  
The room was filled with bureau employees who rose when Kim and the AD   
entered the main room. Byers looked at her and felt his nerves melt away.   
She was perfect. This was perfect. This was right.  
  
Skinner placed a chaste kiss on her cheek before taking a seat beside his   
Maggie. Scully stood up with Kim along with Holly and Angela. Mulder stood   
with Byers, as did Langley and Frohike.   
  
As the priest spoke the words that would make them man and wife, he tightened   
his grip on Maggie's hand and whispered in her ear, "Not too much longer   
until that's us up there, Mrs. Skinner."  
  
She turned her head to kiss him and smiled into his lips, "I can hardly   
wait."  
  
Skinner continued to kiss his fiancée passionately and neither realized when   
the priest announced Byers and Kim were man and wife. The applause startled   
them out of their embrace and they focused their eyes on Kim and John. They   
were kissing also and when they finished they weren't blushing as Skinner and   
Maggie were, they were beaming.   
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen, for the first time, I present, Mr. and Mrs. John   
Byers."


	3. Parts Eleven through Fifteen

Disclaimer:  Please do not sue.  I do not claim to own them.

Chapter 11

It was another two weeks after Kimberly and John were married before Maggie and Walter finally made it down the aisle. He'd hemmed and hawed about setting a date until Maggie finally informed him that her due date was not very far off and if he wanted to be married before his baby came, they'd best get to it. They finally tied the knot three weeks after Kimberly and John.

On the day of her long awaited wedding, Maggie Scully stood in front of the mirror surveying her appearance. The shell pink gown she'd chosen to marry Walter Skinner in set off the tone of her face perfectly, if only it did something for her now nonexistent figure. She placed her hand on her now rounded belly and sighed. She wanted this   
baby and she wanted to marry Walter, but sometimes she wasn't sure if she was   
doing the right thing. Maybe she shouldn't do this.  
  
Dana entered the room, her belly preceding that entrance. She looked at her   
Mom and tears sprang to her eyes. She looked so beautiful and so happy.  
  
"Are you ready, Mom?" she asked, brushing back a stray strand of hair from   
her mother's face. "You look perfect. Walter is going to love you, more   
than he all ready does."  
  
"You think he loves me? No, I'm being ridiculous, I know he loves me, but am   
I doing to right thing, Dana?"  
  
"Are you happy with Walter, Mom?" Scully asked, tucking the flower in her   
mother's hair.  
  
"Yes, he makes so happy and he makes me feel loved and young again."  
  
"Then you are doing the right thing, Mom. Your happiness is all that   
counts."  
  
"I still miss your Daddy. I still love him, but..." Her mother trailed off,   
"it's different this time." She looked into her daughters eyes and saw   
emotion there.  
  
"Mom, you have nothing to worry about. It's going to be a beautiful day and..."   
She was interrupted as the door swung open.  
  
"Knock knock" Mulder called, "How's everybody doing in here? You look   
beautiful, Mom. And Dana, you look terrific, perfect." He moved in and   
kissed her.  
  
Scully was wearing a blue dress. He loved her in blue, all shades; it   
brought out her eyes and set off her hair. He'd always found her beautiful,   
but now that she was almost seven months pregnant with his twins, she was   
radiant. The dynamic in the room seemed off; his mother-in-law seemed tense   
and nervous.   
  
"Dana, why don't you check on Walter and let me chat with Mom for a few   
minutes okay?"  
  
Scully got his silent message and turned to leave, kissing her mother's cheek   
before checking on her stepfather to be.  
  
"What's wrong, Mom?" Mulder asked, approaching his mother-in-law, "This is   
your wedding day. You should be happy. I know I was."  
  
"It was different for you, Fox. You and Dana were just starting out in life.   
I've been to the circus; I know everything there is to know about marriage   
and child rearing. There are no surprises left..."  
  
"Mom, you are marrying an Assistant Director of the FBI, trust me, your life   
together will be full of surprises," Mulder said smiling.  
  
"I hope they aren't like the surprises I've faced so far. A pregnancy, a   
heart attack, a stroke, what's next, a Mustang, an earring, and a nineteen   
year old girlfriend?"  
  
"Mom, you are being unreasonable, not to mention unfair. Skinner would never   
do that to you, he'd never do that, period." Mulder tried to keep his voice   
calm. He knew Maggie wasn't making an accusation, but he was beginning to   
feel a new attachment to Skinner and any attack on the man's character he met   
with resistance.  
  
"I know, Fox. I'm sorry. I'm just so scared. I'm so afraid that I'm not   
doing the right thing."  
  
"Mom, do you love Walter?" Mulder asked.  
  
"Of course I do, but does he really need to be saddled with a baby. His health   
is just starting to rebound, he is still not back to work, and this isn't fair   
to him, Fox."  
  
"What are you really afraid of, Mom? I know you're holding something back,   
what is it?"  
  
"I still miss Bill. I still love him. It's foreign to me, loving two men.   
I don't know if I can be a good wife to Walter while I still love another   
man." Maggie massaged her belly and looked on the verge of tears.  
  
"You still love Bill. You shared a lot of time together. You shared your   
lives, your children, he's part of you and you are part of him. Walter isn't   
going to expect you to stop thinking about Bill, to stop loving him. What he   
will expect is that you love him as much, if differently, than Bill. Part of   
Walter will probably always love Sharon, for the good times they had in their   
marriage. If you can accept that from him, he will accept that from you.  
  
"Now, stop worrying. Dry your eyes and get ready to marry, God help me, my   
boss. At least with him in the family, I won't get chewed out as often, huh.   
You can mellow him out for me." Mulder said, and then laughed quietly to   
himself.  
  
"What"? Maggie asked wiping her eyes.  
  
"I was just remembering how I proposed to Dana." A big grin escaped his lips   
again.  
  
"What did you do?" She stared at him. "Fox? Come on, Dana never really gave me all the details."  
  
"Okay. Okay. Well, I'd had a loooooong discussion with Byers about my   
feelings for Dana and I came to the conclusion that I was going to marry her no   
matter what anyone said. But stupidly I told Frohike and Langley as well and   
they both wanted to help me. So I went out and bought this gorgeous ring and   
then I'm like "okay so how do I ask her?" So then Frohike tells me to   
pretend that he was Scully and they were all shouting "say this" and "say   
that" you know. In the end I got up the nerve and drove to the 7/11 to pick   
up some supplies and then on to Quantico." Mulder paused as he relived the   
memory smiling again broadly. "Scully was performing an autopsy and then   
meeting with some old buddies from med school. I walked into the bullpen   
and..."  
  
"Bullpen?" Maggie asked.  
  
"A collection of desks where agents sit." He cleared that up for her and then   
continued. "Anyway I walked down to her and said all my hellos y'know. Then I   
uh got down on one knee and she thought I was ill! And then I said "I know   
Scully that I have always been a dweeb to you" and I lifted up a packet of   
'Dweebs'. "And that I don't deserve you. I probably never will. But we've   
been through a lot together and I was wondering if I could have your 'ham' in   
marriage. "And then lifted up a slice of ham. I know that last one was lame   
but hey it worked!"  
  
Maggie smiled up at him. He was really a sweet young man. "Were you afraid?"   
She tentatively asked.  
  
"Hell yeah! Of course I was. I was petrified. But I overcame my nerves and   
asked her. Men hate rejection. That's the problem. We're afraid of being   
shunned. Now look where that's gotten me. You are going to have a wonderful day.   
Mulder hugged her one last time before disappearing down the hall to check   
once again, on the very nervous groom.  
  
Meanwhile, Scully was down the hall talking to Skinner. He was pale and   
looked as though he might pass out.   
  
"How are you holding up, Sir?" she asked in a professional tone, trying to   
separate herself from the feelings she was having for this man. He was   
starting to feel like family. She didn't know if she'd ever seen him as a   
father completely, but she respected him and found herself beginning to love   
him.  
  
"I'm fine, Scully. Just fine," he said.  
  
"Liar. You're slurring your speech. You only do that when you're mad,   
nervous, or upset. I know you aren't mad; Mulder and I haven't worked this   
week. Upset doesn't really fit either, so I'd put my dollar on nervous.   
Want to talk about it?" She approached him and touched his shoulder gently.  
  
"I'm not sure I'm doing the right thing, Scully. I can't take the place of   
your Dad, I'm not even sure I'll be that great a dad or husband. I can't   
believe it took me this long to realize it."  
  
"Walter, no one expects you to take Dad's place. No one would want you too.   
What I do expect, and Mom and Mulder too, is for you to love her and protect   
her and to love and protect your baby. That's my little brother or sister in   
there and if you don't take care of business, I'm going to have to shoot you.   
And if you remember, I'm one of the best shots in the FBI, next to you, of   
course."  
  
That drew a small smile, which quickly faded into another frown.  
  
"There's something else isn't there?" she probed, all ready knowing the   
truth.  
  
"Yes. I'm scared, Scully. I never though I'd hear myself admit that. Not   
to a woman, not to you. I am so scared that I'll lose your Mom, I'm so   
scared that marriage to me will change her and not for the better either.   
I've all ready compromised her, made her lose some of her virtues, the things   
that make her who she is."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"She's pregnant and not married, and she's marrying a divorced man. She's   
getting married in her living room by a federal court judge. That is not the   
Margaret Scully I know. She's marrying an Episcopalian for God's sake." He rose from his position and began to pace, the slight limp the stroke left him with pronounced with his worry.  
  
"Walter, in about thirty-five minutes, my mother won't be Margaret Scully   
anymore. She'll be Margaret Skinner. And Margaret Skinner doesn't care if   
she's married in a church or that the man she's marrying is divorced. She   
only cares about the man. She only cares about you, Walter, your happiness   
and well being. That's what makes her my mother, Sir, nothing more, nothing   
less.   
  
"Would it make you feel better if I told you she's worrying that this is the   
right thing for you?"  
  
"Why? I'm the one who's asking her to change who she is for me." He looked   
lost.  
  
"She still loves my Dad, part of her always will, and she's irrationally   
afraid she's short changing you."  
  
"There are different kinds of love, Dana, she'd never marry me without loving   
me, and I know that."  
  
Scully moved into his path and made him stop pacing. "Sounds to me like you   
both have a case of pre-wedding jitters. I had a good case of them myself   
before I married Mulder, remember. Only I threw up on your tux when you came   
to see how I was," she smiled and giggled a bit at the memory, "you aren't   
going to throw up on me are you?" she asked cocking her head to the side and   
raising her eyebrows.  
  
"No," he laughed, "I'm not going to throw up on you. But I am going to kiss   
you." He took her shoulders and placed an almost fatherly kiss on her   
forehead, "You are something else, Scully. I hope that, if this baby's a   
girl, she's turns out exactly like you."  
  
Scully felt her eyes tear up and she leaned and gave him a quick hug.  
  
"Now, I better get back to Mom. See you in a few minutes," she smiled at him   
before turning and leaving the room.  
  
Fears put to rest; both bride and groom started counting the moments until   
the wedding was actually performed. Suddenly, Maggie couldn't wait to be   
Mrs. Walter Skinner. The minutes seemed to creep by slowly, and then her   
daughter was at her side and Kim as well, both radiant and smiling.

"It's time, Mom. Are you ready?" Dana asked.  
  
"I am, Dana. As nervous as I was before, I'm so ready to marry Walter now."  
  
"You're going to make him happy, Margaret. I've know him for a lot of years   
and he's never been happier than when he's with you."  
  
Margaret hugged her daughter, and then she hugged Kim and took a deep breath.  
  
"Okay, let's get this show on the road," she smiled and followed her two   
bridesmaids out the door with a bounce in her step.  
  
Her children had been right, this was going to be the best day of her life,   
and all the days after that, well, she'd have to see, but she knew one thing   
for sure, she could handle anything as long as she had Walter Skinner by her   
side.

Chapter 12

Saturday morning, Two weeks after the wedding  
  
Walter Skinner had spent the night awake. He had a lot to think about. He   
was married again, this time to a woman he loved more than his own life and   
she was pregnant with his first child. He couldn't stop himself from   
marveling over that fact. It was amazing to him, inconceivable that after   
years of loneliness and despair that he could have this happiness.  
  
Margaret was nestled against his side, her head pillowed by his shoulder.   
She was sound asleep, exhausted from the days activities. He loved to watch   
her sleep. She looked so young and carefree, so in need of his protection.   
He nearly left his skin when the phone rang loudly.  
  
"Skinner," he barked into the phone, not raising his voice, but annoyance   
evident in his tone. He checked that Maggie was still asleep. If this early   
caller disturbed her, they would pay.  
  
"Good morning, Dad," came the teasing voice of his new stepson-in-law, Fox   
Mulder.  
  
"It was. What is it, Mulder?" he asked his Agent.  
  
"Is Mom awake yet?" Mulder asked.  
  
"No, and if I have my way, she won't be for at least two more hours. Its   
only six a.m. for God's sake."  
  
Mulder could tell his father-in-law and boss was upset to have had his sleep   
interrupted, but he had to call. Dana had been keeping him awake all night,   
pestering him about when they were going to go shopping for the baby   
furniture they needed. He'd gotten two hours sleep if he was lucky and even   
that was interrupted by Scully's excited, yet annoying prodding.  
  
"I know, Walt. Believe me, I know. Dana has kept me up all night. She   
wants to go shopping for baby things and, I'm sorry, as much as I love her, I   
can't stand the though of going to stores with her."   
  
Skinner took pity on his comrade in suffering. Shopping with Margaret was a   
tiring, stressful, maddening ordeal if there ever was one and she got tired   
easily, after two hours they were done, yet it took him weeks to recover.   
Scully, with the energy her pregnancy had given her must be worse.  
  
"I know what you mean, Mulder," Skinner sympathized. "Shopping with Maggie   
is a fate I wouldn't wish on...on... the Cancerman. If daughter is like   
mother, I understand. That still doesn't excuse you from calling me at six   
a.m. on a weekend."  
  
"You're upset about that, huh" Mulder inquired all ready knowing the answer.  
  
Skinner surprised him when he sighed, "No, I wasn't asleep. I ah, haven't   
really slept since the wedding. I keep waking up to check on Maggie and then   
I lay there a while and think. I was all ready up."  
  
"I used to do that when I first got married. I couldn't get enough of   
looking at her. Scully of course wasn't pregnant at the time so she'd wake   
up and..."  
  
"I don't need a visual aid, Mulder. I've gotten the picture."   
  
Walter swung his legs over the side of the bed and moved away so that his   
voice wouldn't disturb Margaret's sleep.  
  
"Well, anyway, while Dana is still in the shower and can't hear me complain,   
I called to ask if you and Mom want to meet us for a later breakfast and   
shopping for baby things. I could really use a buddy in the trenches man."  
  
Skinner stared at his wife. She'd been feeling tired and rundown since the   
wedding, the stress and strain of the last seven months catching up and   
wiping her out. He didn't want to keep her out too long. On the other hand,   
a day with her two crazy children might do her some good. The worst that   
could happen was she got tired and they left early.   
  
"Well, like I said, she's not awake yet. I'll ask her when she gets up and   
call you back. Nothing is open until ten anyway. If she says yes, I'll call   
you back."  
  
Mulder offered up a silent prayer of thanksgiving. He knew that Maggie would   
jump at the chance to spend the day with her daughter, husband, and "son".   
Aloud he said, "All right, I'll tell Dana that you'll call. Don't be   
surprised if she calls you every ten minutes to see if Mom is up yet. She   
woke me every ten minutes to ask when we'd go shopping until I said today.   
She's so excited about this."  
  
"And you're not?" Skinner asked. He knew that since Mulder had accepted his   
wife's condition and had seen the sonogram photo he'd been smitten with his   
children, so his not being excited didn't compute.  
  
"I am excited about the buying part, just not the shopping part. We'll go   
to like ten stores and look at all different models and prices and end up   
buying the first thing we looked at in the first store. Scully insists on   
trying to find the best bargain even though I told her that the money wasn't   
a big deal." Mulder was whining now.  
  
"I know what you mean. The Scully women aren't used to being comfortable.   
Most of their lives, they had little money so bargains and deals had been the   
only way, now they can't seem to break the bonds of the Price Club."  
  
Mulder chuckled, "You too, huh?"  
  
"Me too," Skinner admitted, with another sidelong glance at his bride,   
"Listen, I have to go. If I keep talking, I'm going to wake Maggie. See   
what you can do to occupy Dana until at least seven."  
  
"I'll try, Sir, and thanks a lot for doing this." Mulder sound genuinely   
grateful and Skinner smiled.   
  
"Anytime, Mulder, just next time make it after sunrise, okay?"  
  
Mulder hung up the phone and turned to see that a very pregnant Dana had just   
stepped out of the shower.  
  
"Who was that, Fox?" she asked, her eyebrow climbing into her hairline.  
  
"It was...uh, uh, Skinner. I called to invite your Mom shopping with us   
today."  
  
"At six a.m., Mulder, you know how tired she gets."   
  
Mulder expected excited squeals and giggles and possibly even a kiss, but   
what he got was a frown and the "eyebrow".  
  
"I didn't wake her, sweetheart. Skinner said he'd ask her when she wakes up.   
He seemed like he wanted to go though."  
  
If possible the eyebrow climbed higher as Scully unwrapped the towel around   
her hair, "Skinner seemed like he wanted to go shopping with us?"  
  
"Yes," Mulder nodded.  
  
"Walter Skinner?" she asked again.  
  
"The one and only," he replied.  
  
"My stepfather?"  
  
"Yes, Scully. Skinner, tall bald guy, broad shoulders, bad attitude, wants to   
go shopping with us and your Mom for baby things.  
  
"I can't believe it," she stated and moved for the phone.  
  
"He also said not to call over there again until seven so that you're Mom could   
sleep a bit more," Mulder interjected before she got her head bitten off.  
  
"That sounds like Skinner," Scully admitted.  
  
"Oh, Fox," she began to whine, "The stores don't open until ten, I don't know   
if I can wait that long to start getting baby things."  
  
"You have to, love. I know you're excited, so why don't we think about what   
color to paint the baby's room."  
  
Mulder had no idea what can of worms he'd just opened.  
  
"I was thinking wallpaper actually," came Scully's reply, "Wallpaper with   
Teddy Bears on it and an ABC border around the top. Lots of color."  
  
"But Scully, what if the babies don't like Teddy Bears. Paint is easier to   
change when they get older."  
  
"Wallpaper isn't so hard to change, Mulder. It just takes patience. Besides,   
I've never met a baby who didn't like Teddy Bears." Scully countered sitting   
on the bed to pull on her jeans.  
  
"You've never met a grown man who chases aliens either until you met me.   
What if our kids are chips off the old Mulder block?" Mulder asked her,   
pulling his sweatshirt on over his head.  
  
"For the first two years, it'll be the color they like. I want the room   
bright and festive. Happy rooms make happy babies." She pulled on one sock.  
  
"All those books say that babies can't tell colors at first, why both when   
the room is going to look like an episode of Leave It to Beaver anyway?"  
  
"What do you suggest we do, Mulder? Paint the room black and white? Great,   
our children will start out in life depressed." Another sock.  
  
"No, I don't want to paint the room black and white. I just don't think we   
need a garish design on our walls to have a happy baby or babies in our   
case." He gelled his hair.  
  
"A garish...Teddy Bears are not garish. Look at your tie collection,   
Mulder if you want to talk about garish." A sneaker.  
  
They went on like this, trading barbs, mostly without points, until the phone   
rang. Mulder looked at his watch. 7:30. They'd killed time all right.  
  
"Hello," Scully said into the phone.  
  
Margaret Skinner could hear annoyance in her daughter's tone, so she   
proceeded with caution.  
  
"Hi, sweetheart. Walter told me you wanted to make a shopping trip today.   
I'd love to."  
  
"Great, Mom, great." Her tone was flat; there was no joy in her voice.  
  
"Honey, what's wrong?" Maggie asked.  
  
"Fox is being impossible," she answered glaring at her husband who stood red   
faced near the decaf pot.  
  
"Oh, well, I hope a day out with us will do you both good then." Maggie   
didn't want to get into her daughter's marital disputes, even though most of   
the time they required the intervention of either herself or her husband.   
  
"I'm sure it will, Mom. Why don't you come over here? I'll make breakfast   
then we can go."  
  
"That sounds just fine, dear. I've not been in the mood to cook lately and   
eating in restaurants all the time isn't good for Walter's heart." Maggie   
sounded perky and joyous, just like a pregnant woman in love should sound.  
  
"Okay, see you in an hour," she said hanging up. Then to Mulder, "My mother   
and Skinner will be here in an hour. Try and act like a human being before   
they get here."   
  
Then Scully turned to the stove and began making batter for pancakes.  
  
Walter noticed his wife's silence on the drive to her daughter's home. She'd   
seemed excited and almost perky at the prospect of shopping with her daughter   
and son-in-law, not she was quiet and despondent.  
  
"What's wrong, love?" he asked, brushing her leg with his hand.  
  
"Dana," Maggie answered, "She and Fox had another argument."  
  
"They've been doing that a lot lately," Skinner observed, studying his wife   
out of the corner of his eye. She frowned.  
  
"Yes, and more that usual it's taken one of us to get them to make it up.   
They are both so stubborn." Maggie balled her hand into a fist.  
  
"Stubborn and selfless is a lethal combination. One is constantly fighting   
the other to get the other to do what one thinks is best. They never fight   
because Fox wants what's best for Fox; they fight because he wants what's   
best for Dana."  
  
Maggie smiled at Walter's insight, "I know. At least their fights aren't   
malicious. They aren't intentionally trying to hurt each other. At least   
not at first. They both have tempers though and that lead to a whole other   
ballgame."  
  
"I'm so glad we don't fight like that," Maggie mused, her hand covering his.  
  
"Well, I don't know," he sighed, "If you don't have a good argument every   
once in awhile you can't make up and that's fun."  
  
"Oh," Maggie chuckled, "Let's just hope they get to the fun before we have to   
step in again."  
  
"Let's just hope," Skinner echoed before turning on the radio and   
accelerating a bit as the pulled on the freeway.  
  
The Skinner's luck did not hold. They could hear the shouting from the   
driveway.  
  
"Stop acting like a baby, Scully," Mulder yelled, his tone condescending if   
not down right mean.  
  
"I'm not acting like a baby; you are acting like a jackass." Scully was   
crying, but fighting hard against it.  
  
Skinner pulled out his keys and walked right in, in spite of Maggie's   
protest.  
  
"Hey, what is going on in here?" he bellowed, commanding the attention of   
both combatants. "I can here you all they way out in the driveway."   
  
Scully finally lost her battle with her tears and ran to her mother's   
outstretched arms. Maggie looked at Fox, her face holding no anger for him   
as she held her daughter and shrugged at him.  
  
"Mulder, what is going on? I've never heard you speak to Scully that way?"  
  
"Yeah, well," he shrugged. He didn't know why he got so angry sometimes, he   
just did. Sometimes, his formerly rational wife just made no sense to him   
anymore. Not to mention he hadn't gotten sex from her in like three weeks.   
That was unusual for them and he was getting testy.  
  
"Yeah, well what?" Skinner prodded as Maggie took Dana into the other room to   
make her a cup of her favorite decaffeinated herbal tea. "You made her cry.   
It takes some major shit to do that."  
  
"We had a stupid argument and she's not herself lately. I don't know, I just   
got mad." Mulder explained, "You know how it is, nothing you do or say is the   
right thing anymore."  
  
"Actually, no, I don't have that particular problem, but didn't you always   
say to me that Scully's favorite thing to do was to prove you wrong. What   
started all this?"  
  
"Paint verses wallpaper," Mulder admitted, blushing slightly and bracing   
himself for Skinner's recriminations. He was disappointed. His boss and   
father-in-law didn't yell, he laughed.  
  
"Is that all? Oh, Mulder, will you never learn?" Skinner approached the   
younger man and set an arm about his shoulders. "Women love to decorate, and   
even more than that, they love to spend money. Scully women not so much as   
others, but it's true. I'm betting she wants to wallpaper the room with   
something cutesy like Winnie the Pooh, right?"  
  
"Not Pooh, just regular bears. I want to paint it pale green with a yellow   
trim since we don't know what the twins will be or like. That sounds   
practical to me," Mulder defended.  
  
"It is practical, Fox, but this is Dana's first pregnancy. It's exciting for   
her, look at how giddy she is over furniture shopping and you've always told   
me she isn't much of a shopper. She wants to do this thing up right. You   
have to understand that, and I think there's more to this than that."   
Skinner looked at the younger man, eyes inquisitive.  
  
"Not really, she's just not herself and I guess I don't know how to be the   
strong rational one." Mulder admitted.  
  
"Well, in two months, like it or not, you are going to be someone's Daddy and   
you are going to have to learn to be strong. Scully is going to become like   
any other mother, intuitive and a worrywart and it is going to your job to   
make sure she does give the kids ulcers before they're ten. Now, what I   
think you have to do is apologize to your wife, tell her that you'll pick out   
a wallpaper today and let's eat because I'm starving."  
  
Mulder impulsively turned and gave Skinner a bear hug, "Thanks, Dad for   
setting me straight on this. I better go eat some crow."  
  
Meanwhile, Maggie was giving her daughter similar advice.   
  
"You see, dear, this is all new to Fox. He's never had to take care of   
anyone but himself before. You are a very independent woman and don't need   
his coddling. He is in uncharted territory here. He wants to keep things   
plain, try and keep them as vanilla as possible, hence his insistence on   
paint instead of wallpaper. It's a lot easier to get rid of paint." Margaret   
hope her daughter took her words the right way. She knew Dana's rational   
mind was not functioning these days, she hoped her daughter wouldn't think   
Fox wanted to erase the babies.  
  
"I know, Mom and maybe he doesn't like Teddy Bears, maybe we should just put   
a border around the room," she smiled into her cup, "It was a stupid thing to   
fight about wasn't it. It's just..."  
  
"Just..." her mother prodded.  
  
"Sometimes, he gets so mean Mom. Sometimes he's nothing like the Fox Mulder   
I married."  
  
"He's scared, baby, he can't think clearly either. Male hormones, I like to   
call it. Walter has the same thing but he shows it a different way."   
  
Scully smiled at her mother as her husband walked into the kitchen and held   
his arms out to her. "I'm sorry, Angel," he said when she went gratefully   
into them and let him hold her close, "we can do the baby's room anyway you   
want, as long as it's just wallpaper or just a border, not both, okay?" Her   
mother and Skinner looked on as Scully smiled and nodded, another crisis   
averted.  
  
"Well," Skinner said, running his hand over his stomach, "Now that this is   
solved when do we eat? I'm starved."  
  
Scully laughed and turned to the stove, making a disgusted face at it, "I   
know I promised I'd cook, but..."  
  
"Let's go out to eat," her mother finished. The idea of standing up long   
enough to cook tired her out these days.  
  
The couples departed the house and one hour later were standing inside of   
Baby World Baby Superstore. Skinner's and Mulder's hands tightened over   
their wallets as they saw the looks that came over their wives faces. Even   
for men that were reasonably well paid, this could be dangerous. Their wives   
were usually frugal, but baby shopping had the potential for danger.   
  
Soon they were left in the dust. Maggie and Dana moved as quickly as their   
pregnancies would allow dashing up and down aisle looking at cribs, high   
chairs, car seats...  
  
"Dana," Margaret said to her daughter as she looked at the fourth crib, "You   
should consider registering and having a baby shower. That might be more fun   
than this, and not to mention less exhausting."  
  
Scully turned to study her mom, "Are you getting too tired, you want to   
rest?" She knew that she was beginning to feel a bit sleepy, so her mom must   
be.  
  
"I'm not talking about me, baby. I'm talking about Fox and Walter."   
  
Scully turned to see her husband and stepfather leaning against shelves both   
breathing hard. She knew why her stepfather was tired. He'd suffered both a   
heart attack and a stroke a few months ago and prolonged activity tired him   
out, but there was no reason that Mulder should be gasping for air.   
  
She and Maggie hurried over to their husbands, Maggie out of concern and   
Scully out of curiosity.  
  
"What on earth are you two doing?" she asked Mulder, glaring at him. Then   
she saw it, each of the two men had a cart behind them filled to the rim with   
toys. They had filled their carts with everything from teething rings to   
baseball mitts to dolls that walked and wet their diapers.  
  
"What did you two do?" Maggie scolded like they were two. Skinner looked   
down and blushed from the top of his head to his chin.  
  
"I though...we thought... well you were taking care of all of the practical   
items so..."  
  
Maggie smiled and pulled her husband close to her cuddling him. He was so   
sweet and adorable and she loved him so much. Skinner cradled her in his   
arms, kissing her lips. "I love you, Maggie," he whispered, before pulling   
away.  
  
"I love you too, darling, but we don't need all of this stuff." she asked   
gesturing to the cart.  
  
Scully had all ready ordered Mulder to put back more than half of what he   
bough.  
  
"Maggie, I'm never going to have another baby and I want a chance to spoil   
him or her. And you."   
  
She smiled again then took his hand and followed her daughter and son down the   
crib aisle once again.  
  
Two Hours Later  
  
"Scully," Mulder whined, "If you were going to get this crib, why didn't you   
get it six stores ago? The first time we were here."  
  
"Mulder, do you know nothing about comparison shopping. This is the crib I   
liked, this is the best price. Go and buy the crib, Mulder."  
  
"Daaaaannaaa," he whined, "Why did I let you talk me into this parent thing   
in the first place?" He strolled away leaving Skinner's ears turning red and   
Maggie's mouth agape. Scully turned to her parents and sighed.  
  
"Sometimes, I think he really means that," she said.  
  
"No, he doesn't really mean it, Honey. It's just if you have a baby then he   
has to grow up and you know Mulder doesn't want to do that." Maggie answered   
when she saw her son-in-law returning with a sales person.  
  
That night Mulder and Scully lay in bed curled up with each other. This was   
their favorite time of day.   
  
"Scully, did your mom buy anything today?"  
  
"No, only what Walter bought. It was so adorable," she murmured kissing his   
shoulder blade.  
  
"How come he's adorable and I'm wasteful?"  
  
"Because it's not my money he spent. It was wasteful, but Mom made him   
promised he'd return all of the girl's toys if it was a girl and vice versa."  
  
  
"I love you, Scully," he said sincerely, hugging her close.  
  
"I love you too, Mulder. Good night."  
  
She leaned over him and turned out the light. 

Chapter 13

Margaret and Walter Skinner sat together in the doctor's waiting room. Since his heart attack and stroke several months ago the doctor's office had been his home away from home. Today was his "red letter day". Today was the day his doctor would decide if he could return to his position as Assistant Director.  
  
Maggie studied her husband's actions. He sat beside her, his face calm and stoic. The only betrayal of his nervousness was in his right leg's continuous rhythm, up and down, up and down. She placed a restraining hand on it.  
  
"Walter, " she let his name roll from her tongue, "relax."  
  
"I can't, Maggie. If he says I can't go back to work I don't know what I'll do. I'm going brain dead sitting in that house day after day.  
  
"I know, Dearest, but working yourself into a frenzy is only going to send your pressure up and hurt your chances." Margaret knew how important his career was to him, how hard he'd worked to earn his way and how complete and accomplished his work made him feel. Yet, there was a part of her that hoped Dr. Sklodonski would block his return to work indefinitely. She'd come so close to losing him, twice, in the past seven months. His recovery had been rapid, but the residual weakness in his left side and occasional stutter were continuous reminders.  
  
"I know, sweetie. And I like being home with you, but I don't feel like I'm useful there. It's not like I'm in the field..." he trailed off, noticing her frown. "What is it, Honey?"  
  
"Assistant Director is such a stressful job. Maybe...Oh, I don' t know. I just don't want to lose you now that I finally have you." She met his probing chocolate gaze and saw something there. She realized that he held these same feeling in his heart in regard to her miracle pregnancy. In four weeks, she was due to give birth to his son or daughter, the result of their love or her hormone therapy, she wasn't sure. In his eyes she could see that there was a part of him however small that was scared to death she wouldn't survive it. She moved toward him and kissed his lips firmly, gently stroking his cheek with her hand.  
  
"Do you know how much I love you, Assistant Director Skinner?" she asked, the answer shining in her eyes.  
  
"Probably as much as I love you, Mrs. Skinner," he replied, placing a light kiss on the tip of her nose.  
  
"Walter," the receptionist interrupted the exchange, "you can come on back now."  
  
Leaning on his cane, the same cane he never used at home in deference to furniture, Skinner rose from his seat and offered an arm to Maggie who was unsuccessfully trying to heave herself out of a chair. A strange look crossed her features and Skinner stopped, his eyes filled with concern.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
Margaret straightened and smiled, massaging her belly. "We're fine, Love. Your son or daughter just kicked me a bit harder than usual. Caught me by surprise is all.  
  
Walter nodded and walked back to the examining room, his arm about his wife's shoulders.  
  
Dr. Edward Sklodonski smiled brightly as he watched his patient accompany his wife into the exam room. Their had been a time when he was sure he was going to lose Walter Skinner. The man had had a heart condition for years and the attack left him in severe trouble. It had taken a while to find a drug to regulate his blood pressure, but he seemed to have been restored to relative cardiac health.  
  
"Good afternoon, Walter, Margaret. Let's see how you're doing? Hop up here." The doctor indicated the table.  
  
"It's been awhile since I've hopped anywhere," Walter quipped, pushing himself up as best he could, smiling. The doctor returned the smile, three appointments ago, that endeavor was an extreme effort for Walter.  
  
"Looks like you've gotten almost full range of motion in your arm. That's terrific. Dr Warren will be very happy."  
  
"I'm not sure, Dr. Warren is ever happy about anything, Ed," Maggie said, settling into the chair the doctor had provided as the doctor examined her husband.  
  
"All right, Walter. Give me a deep breath, " Skinner obliged, breathing in slowly and deeply. "And again?" Ed asked, moving his stethoscope to all the appropriate areas. Next, he took Skinner's blood pressure and pulse.   
  
"Well, Mr. Skinner, everything sounds great. BP is 150/80, pulse is 85."  
  
The doctor noticed Skinner bristle at the positive medical report. He knew the man wanted a medical clearance to return to his job. A quick look at Mrs. Skinner revealed that she was hoping he'd make her husband resign his dangerous work. Sadly, he couldn't' oblige her.  
  
"Well, Doc, what's the verdict? Can I go back to work?" Skinner was like a child begging for permission to go to Disney World.  
  
"Well, your pressure is good, your pulse is good. I'd like a stress test and a neurological work up before I clear you for full duty. What I will do is clear you for restricted duty. Nine until two-thirty, no field work After the stress test and neuro exam, I'll clear you for full duty."  
  
Skinner smiled and slid off the examine table, moving caneless for his wife. She tried to smile and be happy for him, but he detected the disappointment and fear in her eyes. He hooked her finger under her chin and raised her head so he could look directly at her.  
  
"There's no reason to fret, Maggie. I'm going to be fine. We all are."  
  
She forced a smile and took his outstretched hand, rising out of the chair. Walter thanked the doctor and scheduled his test, leaving with a renewed outlook on his future.  
  
Margaret said nothing the whole way home in the car. Any attempt at conversation was met with a silent nod. Finally, Walter pulled the car over and turned to face her, "What is the problem here, Margaret. I thought you'd be happy for me."  
  
Margaret shook her head. "Oh no, I'm not happy Walter. I'm scared. I'm very, very scared. Nothing makes me happier than to know your health is improving, but nothing scares me more than to know that you'll be going back the infernal office day after day after damned day. There's nothing for you there Walter. Nothing but the petty miseries of others."  
  
She turned away from him and crossed her arms about her chest. He'd never seen her act this way.  
  
"The...May I remind you, my dear wife, that a lot of what I do at the office every day is done to protect your daughter and her foolhardy husband. Without that the X-files are nothing. Without me, Mulder and Scully are powerless. They have no ally they have no hope of ever finding the truth. I'm the only one they can trust there, Maggie. The only one."  
  
"Don't be vain, Walter," she said simply, "remember what the Bible says about pride."  
  
"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before fall, Proverbs 16:18, yeah, I know the Bible Maggie, and that is not what this is. This is the plain and unvarnished truth as much as I am privy to say it. Mulder and Scully need me on the X-files. If you couldn't deal with my career, why couldn't you just say so?" He was getting angry. He could feel his heart beating faster, his blood pumping harder, but his speech remained clear.  
  
"I could deal with your career. Walter, when we started, I never expected you to have a heart attack or a stroke, and I sure as Hell never expected to get pregnant at my age. Things aren't the same as they were when we started and God damn it Walter you aren't the only one in the relationship."  
  
"Oh, that's rich. That is God damned fucking rich! You are telling me I'm not the only one in the relationship and yet you are the one being selfish. What? Do you want me to sit around the house for the rest of my life doing nothing but collecting a government pension and watching soap operas? That may be okay for you Maggie, but it sure as Hell isn't okay for me. I didn't ask for any of this to happen, and Sharon, as lousy as our marriage was would never stand in my way over something like this. This is my life and I..."  
  
He stopped as he heard Margaret disconnect her seatbelt and get out of the car. Skinner lowered his voice and got out behind her. "Maggie, where are you going?"   
  
She looked at him, her eyes swimming with unshed tears. She placed her hand on her belly and looked at the ground. "I don't know. All I know is, far away from you."  
With that she went and boarded an approaching bus.  
  
Skinner called Mulder and Scully's. He called her friends, Edna and Cassie. No one had seen her. Finally he called the rectory of Maggie's church. She was there. At least he knew where she was. He knew she needed this time alone to think and to be with herself. She arrived home later that night. He took her in his arms, but she did not return the gesture. Instead she smiled at him and placed her hand on his shoulder. Walter took it for what it was, not a loving caress, but a gesture of resignation.  
  


Chapter 14

J. Edgar Hoover Building  
  
Walter walked into his office for the first time in months and was surprised at what he saw. Instead of Kimberly's smiling face he saw another girl, rather nervous looking, sitting in her desk.  
  
"Good morning, Sir," she stuttered getting out of her chair.   
  
Skinner looked at her. She couldn't have been more the twenty-two or three and looked scared to death of him. He had an almost fatherly urge to give her words of encouragement, but he bit it back. He'd save that for his own daughter if Maggie gave him one.  
  
"Good morning, Miss..."  
  
"Nelson. Melanie Nelson. I'm your temp for today." She smiled now, relaxing when he didn't yell at her for not being Kim Byers.  
  
"Where is Mrs. Byers? I wasn't aware that she was beginning her maternity leave until after I started back and she trained a new secretary." He kept his tone light, the kid was so skittish.  
  
"Sir, Mrs. Byers is home sick today," she replied, "your wife called and told me. She said not to call her back though. She said Mrs. Byers tried to catch you before you left, but you were all ready gone when she called."  
  
Skinner nodded and walked toward his inner office. So she still wasn't talking to him, he'd send her some flowers and try to get her to forgive his insolence. He really wasn't being sensitive to her feelings. He understood her fears. They were his own as well. He was terrified of not being there for his children and his wife. He'd wait for her to cool down a bit more then he would call her and tell her he loved her and ask her forgiveness.  
  
"Miss Nelson, would you please call down extension 6148 and ask Agent Mulder to come up to my office please." Skinner then went into his inner office and waiting for Mulder's arrival. Instead when his intercom buzzed his new temp informed him that Agent Mulder was not in the office and that Agent Scully would see him if need be.  
  
"Melanie, tell Agent Scully that I will come down to her office. She needn't bother herself with the trip. And if Margaret calls, forward her to that extension."  
  
"Yes, Sir."  
  
Skinner Home  
Crystal City, Virginia  
  
Mulder used his key to get into his in-laws house. His mother-in-law had made coffee. He craved coffee and it had been scarce in his house of late.  
  
"Hi, Mom," he called going over to her and kissing her cheek. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"  
  
"Do I need an excuse to see my favorite son-in-law?" Maggie asked.  
  
"Yeah, especially when I saw Skinner and he looked like he did that time I totaled two rental cars in the same case. Did you two have a falling out?" Mulder sipped his coffee. He didn't beat around the bush he went straight to the heart of the matter.  
  
Maggie started to cry and Mulder moved to hug her. Dana was emotional lately too but this was different. When she composed herself, Mulder released her and looked into her eyes.  
  
"What happened, Mom?" Mulder asked, wanting to get to the bottom of the situation, although he expected he all ready knew what her answer would be.  
  
"Dr. Sklodonski cleared Walter for restricted duty. We had a fight about it." She stated it simply, her composed facade firmly in place.  
  
"All right. So what can I do about it?" he asked.  
  
"Fox, I know you and Walter don't see eye to eye on everything, on most things, but I know you have the objectivity to see things clearly.   
  
I never intended to argue with Walt over going back to work, but I was so scared for him and I don't understand why he needs to drive himself so crazy. He claims that if he isn't there you and Dana won't be able to do what you do. Then I accused him of being self righteous and well proud and I know I overreacted but I'm just so afraid that he'll...that something..." Maggie stopped mid-sentence, her eyes growing wide.  
  
"Oh, no!" she exclaimed loudly. "Oh, God! Fox!"  
  
"Mom? What is it? What's the matter?" Fox tried to help Maggie to her feet.  
  
"I'm having a contraction. I know it's too early. Oh, Fox, Walter is going to be so upset. He really want this child and now...Oh, Lord, please, don't let this happen," she prayed.  
  
Mulder didn't know what to do. His babies were due soon also. What if they were born early. Maggie wasn't due for five weeks. That wasn't dangerous, but it wasn't good. What if something went wrong and something happened to Margaret and Walter's child? It would kill them. It would kill Scully, her little brother or sister.  
  
"All right, I'll call Skinner and drive you to the hospital. Just try to stay calm."  
  
Mulder jogged upstairs to retrieve Maggie's bag. He called AD Skinner's office and was told by the temp that the AD was not in his office, but that he could be reached at Agent Scully's extensions. To Mulder's dismay, there was no answer in the X-files office or on Skinner's cell phone. Well, he could try Skinner again once he got to the hospital. Now, the only thing that mattered was getting Maggie to a doctor.  
  
"Mom, Walter's not in his office. He's in a meeting or something. We'll call him later just try and relax."   
  
Maggie was crying again, her arms around her swollen abdomen her hand folded in prayer. She met his eyes and said resolutely, "I can't lose this baby, Fox. If I do I know I'll lose Walter too."  
  
Mulder knew that wasn't true, but his mother-in-law wasn't being reasonable now. She was scared and in pain. He assured her quickly. "That won't happen, Mom. It's going to be fine. Let's go."  
  
Approximately the same time  
X-Files Office  
  
Scully was packing up her personal items, preparing to take her maternity leave the next day. Her due date was only three weeks away and Paula said that it was time that she take a break. She hated the idea of leaving Mulder alone but her children will have to come first from now on.  
  
Her stepfather entered her office the minute she hung up with his temp. He looked tired and worn out. She felt an overwhelming urge to go to him and hold him he was so like her father now and he seemed so upset, like a frightened lost little boy.   
  
They were at work, however and couldn't let their personal relationship interfere, she kept up her professional decorum. "What can I do for you, Sir?" she asked, "And welcome back, by the way."  
  
"Thank you, Agent Scully. I just wanted to see how things were going."  
  
Scully arched her eyebrow at him, "Things are fine. I'm starting my leave tomorrow, I'm sure Mom told you."  
  
Skinner shook his head, "No, she didn't. When did this happen?"  
  
"At my checkup with Paula yesterday," she answered, still eying him suspiciously.  
  
"That explains it then. You're mother isn't exactly talking to me right now. She's angry with me over wanting to go back to work."  
  
Scully nodded, "She told me she hoped you'd have to retire or be transferred to become the AD of training or something. You can't fault her for it. She loves you. She's scared for you."  
  
He nodded, "And I love her, Dana. I feel her same fears every day. When your Mom first told me she was pregnant, I was so afraid of what might happen I almost ruined the joy of the situation. That's what happened to me last night. I was so happy and now...I'm sorry I shouldn't be bothering you with this at work."  
  
"It's no bother. I'm glad to listen. Now what about helping me carry this thing up to the car so I can get started on the paper...Uh, oh."  
  
"Agent Scully? Dana? What's wrong?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.  
  
"I don't know," she answer, truthfully.  
  
"You don't know?" he was puzzled.  
  
"I'm not sure."  
  
"You're not sure?" He was getting frustrated. She in obvious pain and he was worried, "Either there's something wrong or there's not, it is not a difficult question." His worry was showing through, he was slurring his speech and he leaned on the chair for balance.  
  
"Well, Sir, I've never been in labor before, but if I had to guess this would probably be it. We'll have to stop by the house to get my bag. I need everything in there. And we have to call Mulder, I can't have the baby without a coach." She was so together Skinner couldn't believe it. He was starting to lose it.  
  
"Sscully, are you sure you're, are you ppossitve?" He was really scared now. What if they weren't able to get there on time? What if something happen?  
  
Scully felt the skirt of her maternity suit grow wet and cold. Skinner looked down at her when she gasped and saw her standing in a brownish tinged puddle. "Oh yes, Sir, I'm sure. My water just broke."

Chapter 15

Somewhere in Crystal City 9:49 A.M.

  
Mulder kept calling Skinner's phone and office, never receiving an answer. Mostly his cell was busy. Maggie's labor pain was intensifying and Mulder was beginning to panic. What if this was the real thing and he couldn't reach his boss? That would mean that he would have to coach his mother-in-law through the birth. That he could live without.   
  
"We're almost there, Mom. Remember the breathing exercise we learned in class. In and out, quick breaths." Mulder abruptly changed lanes and pulled into the fire lane. He ran around to Maggie's side of the car and handed her out, supporting her back as they walked into the emergency entrance.  
  
"Excuse me! Excuse me! I need some help here!" Mulder hit the bell on the desk as a nurse turned her attention to them.  
  
"Well, what do we have here? Jose, can I get a wheelchair over here, please? Ma'am, try and relax. How far along are you?" The petite brunette nurse reminded him of Maggie, she was bright and sweet and was all ready to help out.   
  
"I'm thirty-five weeks. That's too soon isn't it?" Maggie was frantic as a sweet young man, seated her in the wheelchair and started to push her toward the elevator. Just then her membranes ruptured, leaving her clothes soaking wet and an interesting puddle on the floor.   
  
"Fox," she cried out, reaching for his hand, "You have to find Walter for me. I can't do this without him. Please, Fox."  
  
Mulder tried to let go of her hand but she held fast and spoke again, her fear evident in her normally calm tone. "No, don't leave me alone, Fox. If you can't reach him, I can't do this all alone, please. Call him again."  
  
Mulder patted her hand, "Mom, I have to leave and change into some scrubs. Then I promised I'll try and call Skinner. I want him to be here too, but you have to focus on yourself right now, all right."  
  
She nodded as the elevator dinged and Jose and the sweet little nurse escorted her upstairs.  
  
Mulder Home  
Georgetown, 10:13 A.M.

  
Meanwhile, Skinner was pacing Scully and Mulder's house attempting time and time again to reach Fox on his cell phone. He'd tried calling Maggie, but there was no answer. He assumed she was out to lunch with friends. She did that sometimes. He left a message hoping she'd come to the hospital and witness this with him. Maybe that would heal the rift in their marriage. Scully was taking forever in the bedroom.   
  
"Dana, come on honey, we have to get you to the hospital," he tried to be gentle, but he was nervous. What if they didn't make it in time? What if...there were simply no what ifs; she had to make it to the hospital and he had to get her there.  
  
"Walt? I'm ready." She waddled out of the bedroom, bag in hand. She lowered herself to the couch when she reached it and breathed steadily through her next contraction.  
  
"Walter, these contractions are really coming fast." She was sweating and crying and she tried to breath. He had to keep her calm. The unthinkable was occurring in front of his eyes. Dana Scully Mulder was losing her cool. He'd heard that while he was in the hospital the first time, she'd cried and come loose, but that was for someone else. Now she was crying for herself, and he had to help her.  
  
"Scully, listen to me," he instructed, leaning down in front of her. "Breathe slowly in and out, just like in class. I'm going to put your bag in the car and then I'll be back for you. You have to focus and relax."  
  
She met his intense gaze and smiled as he levered himself off the floor and went to attend to business.  
  
St. Catherine's Hospital  
Alexandria, VA 10:31 A.M.  
  
Mulder reappeared at his mother-in-law's side dressed in surgical garb. He was still unable to reach Skinner. The doctor's had hooked Maggie up to a fetal monitor and a heart monitor of her own. The baby was in good position and the doctor estimated that at five centimeters dilation her labor could take a few more hours. Dr. Ragner was on her way and all was well except for the absence of the child's father.  
  
"Fox," Maggie asked, reaching for his hand, "Did you reach Walter?"  
  
"No, Mom, not yet. I left a message on his phone and at the house and at the office. He'll call and he'll be here, I promise."  
  
Another contraction hit as she grimaced. Mulder watched as the monitor spiked from a flat line to an almost perfect hill as the intensity of the contraction built.   
He felt himself talking her through it, stroking and squeezing her hand.   
  
"Okay, get ready, Mom, brace yourself, it's going to increase. Focus, deep breath in and a deep breath out. Come on, keep breathing. The worst is over...almost gone, Mom. You did it."  
  
"Fox, this is incredible. They didn't have machines like this to monitor the contractions when I had Dana or Charlie. This is terrific. Dana is going to be thrilled when it's her time. I just hope Walter makes it in time for the birth."  
  
Their conversation was interrupted by Dr. Ragner's entrance.   
  
"Well, Mrs. Skinner. That little AD couldn't wait to be born, huh? Where's AD Skinner?" Paula sat down on the stool and began her examination. After a few moments she smiled and looked up at her patient.  
  
"How is she?" Mulder asked. He was worried. He wasn't cut out for this sort of thing. This was something that Scully was good at, or Skinner, not him. Not Fox Mulder.  
  
"Well, everything looks really good here. The contractions are still irregular but they are getting kind of intense. You are dilated to six centimeters and almost fully effaced, this should take just a few more hours. Agent Mulder can I talk to you?" She stood up, smiled at Maggie and allowed Mulder to precede her from the room.  
  
Mulder Home  
Georgetown, 10:31 A.M.  
  
Skinner had been outside for a long time. Scully was starting to worry. What if he'd fallen on his way up the stairs? What if he'd gotten dizzy or had chest pains? Scully shook away her fears. No, her stepfather was given a good report at the doctor just yesterday. He was sure of his steps and smart enough not to rush himself. He knew that if something happened to him Scully would be stuck, he'd be careful.   
  
Just then she saw her stepfather standing in front of her. He was blushing furiously and staring at his hands, moving his wedding ring around on his finger.  
  
"What?" she asked him, taking a deep cleansing breath after yet another contraction.  
  
"Um, Scully, we have a problem. I accidentally locked your bag and the keys in the trunk.  It's an older car and I broke the window, but you can only get into the trunk with the key and well, the key it's in the trunk. We're going to have to call someone to drive us. I'm so sorry." The look of contrition on Skinner's face pulled at Scully's heart strings. She wanted to be angry and accost him as to how he could do this, but it wasn't his fault not really. Mulder would have done something like that, but she couldn't imagine the levelheaded Skinner doing something like that.  
  
"It's okay, Sir," she gasped, another contraction tightening across her belly only moments after the last one. "We have to call 911. These contractions are right on top of each other. I can't wait much longer. "  
  
Skinner moved quickly to the phone and dialed 911. After three rings an operator responded, "911 emergency, may I help you?"  
  
"Yes," he said in as calm and as clear a voice as her could muster, "this is Assistant Director Walter Skinner. I have an Agent in labor at her home. We are unable to arrange transport to the hospital and need an ambulance."  
  
"Sir, this is a priority three call. We've had a 40 car pile up on the Expressway and that will prevent medics from responding immediately."  
  
"Shit," Skinner swore into the phone and looked at Scully who was now sitting on the floor panting through yet another contraction. "Scully, it could take awhile for the medics. There was an accident on the expressway."  
  
"Sir," she gasped, tears streaming down her cheeks, "We don't have that much time."  
  
St. Catherine's Hospital  
Alexandria, VA 11:06 A.M.  
  
"Cleansing breath," Mulder coaxed, as he demonstrated and Maggie followed suit.  
  
"You're good at this, Mom. By the time Scully has the twins I'll be an old pro too, huh?"  
  
"I don't know about that, Fox. It's much easier on the woman."  
  
Mulder laughed at that as he dabbed her forehead with a damp wash cloth. She was a trooper. She didn't know where her husband was and he apparently was unreachable by phone, yet she was smiling and breathing and helping him deal with her labor. No wonder Skinner loved this woman. No wonder he loved her daughter.  
  
"Fox, could you try Walter again? I want him to see his baby born? Even if he doesn't care for me right now, I know he still loves this baby." Her eyes were beginning to mist over. Mulder couldn't tell what she was upset about, the fact that she was doubting her husband's love for her or the fact that said husband might miss the birth of his first and only child.  
  
"All right, Mom. About how long until the next contraction?"  
  
"Another three minutes, Fox. Don't worry. I can handle it. I've had four other children before you know. Then the father's weren't allowed in the delivery rooms. Go and call Walter. I'll be all right."  
  
Moments later, Mulder returned, once again announcing that no one has heard from Skinner and that he was still unreachable by phone. Maggie smiled and patted his hand, "That's all right. The kind nurse was telling me they tape births now if I wish them to. He has an important..." she broke off as another contraction started before she had a chance to finish her sentence.   
  
This time she whimpered and Mulder held her hand a bit tighter and tried to help her relax. The contraction continued for an unprecedented amount of time. Maggie cried out and that finally brought her nurse in to check on her. The nurse came in, glanced at the monitors and turned on her heel to page Dr. Ragner. She didn't say a word to Mulder, the only indication he had that the monitor numbers were poor was the page heard over the intercom, "Dr. Ragner to Rm. 419 STAT, Dr. Ragner STAT 419."  
  
Mulder Home  
Georgetown 11:55 A.M.  
  
Skinner had hung up with that idiot operator a while ago. If he couldn't get Scully to the hospital via ambulance he'd have to take matters into his own hands. He'd phoned the Lone Gunmen and they promised that they would do everything in their power to get to the Mulder's place, however, several access roads were closed do to the pile up.  
  
Skinner was now doing the only thing he knew how to do. He'd helped Scully position herself on the floor, two pillows from the bedroom behind her back. He'd stripped her of her maternity skirt and panties and pushed her knees apart. Once when he was a field agent, he delivered a baby. He could do it again if her had to. For her part, Scully followed his orders as explicitly as possible. She wished Mulder were there. Part of her was embarrassed to let Skinner look between her legs. Skinner had tried Mulder a few times on his cell to find it turned off or busy.   
  
"Dana, sweetie," he called to her. He'd changed from professional to personal mode a while ago when he stripped Dana of her clothing. "Dana, you're almost there, hon. I need you to sit up a bit more. I'm going to call the ambulance again and boil some water just in case. Just hold on."  
  
Skinner felt his heart rate speed up. He looked down at his hands, they were shaking. He had to keep it together for Scully. She was the together one, the level headed one...No, that's not true. He was together and level headed too and he could do this. He had to.  
  
Skinner headed to the kitchen and found the items he was going to need. Scissors, a pot to boil water and several clean linens from the linen closet. He could hear Scully's cries, no actual screams, no longer whimpers. He wanted nothing more than to stop her pain and go through this for her. He made his mind up to persuade Maggie to have a C-section. He'd do anything to convince her including leave the bureau to save her this kind of torture.  
  
"Scully?" he asked, "Where is your medical bag. I'm going to need clamps to cut the cord."  
  
"Up...stairs, bed...room," she gasped breathing deeply against the pain. She could feel herself splitting in two and knew it was almost time to the baby to come.   
  
Skinner returned quickly and knelt in front of Scully. He draped a clean sheet over her knees and readied the white baby blankets Maggie made to receive the new infants. Another quick look told him it was time. His daughter's eyes were brimmed with tears of pain as she half panted, half sobbed through her torturous contractions.  
  
"Dana, you have to sit up a bit more for me. I can see one of my grandbabies right now. It's all up to you, Scully."   
  
Skinner's voice was calming and steady. Scully felt his strong grasp on her knees pressing them open. She was scared and wished for Mulder to be there with her.   
  
"Walter, I want Fox. I can't do this without him."   
  
"Yes, you can, Honey, it's time to push, come on. I'm so proud of you, Scully and I know Mulder will be too. Come on, push on the next contraction."  
  
Scully felt the contraction slice across her belly and bore down the way they told her in class, they way she'd encourage women to do in her own time. She could hear Skinner counting loudly as she pushed.  
  
"Good girl. Take a breath and rest. I need another big push on the next contraction. Feel it, it's coming...Now Push. One, two, three, four..."  
  
Scully gritted her teeth and pushed as hard as she could. Over her own screams she could hear the calm tones of her stepfather's voice. "The head is out Scully. A thick head of dark hair and this is one cute little one. One more push and you're half way there, one more."  
  
With every ounce of strength in her body Scully bore down and pushed. Eons later it seemed, although it took less than a minute she heard he stepfather exclaim through a tear laced voice, "It's a son, Dana. You have a son and he is beautiful."  
  
Skinner placed the little boy in the receiving blanket in the small bassinet Scully had set up in the living room. Then he turned his attention back to his daughter, who appeared to be falling asleep.  
  
St. Catherine's Hospital  
Alexandria, VA 12:03 P.M.  
  
Mulder had to wait outside while Paula checked Maggie's rising pressure and gave her some medication to combat it. She wanted to perform a C-Section immediately and although Maggie wanted to wait for Walter and knew he'd be sad he missed it, she wanted to give him a baby even more. Paula told Mulder if he wanted to stay to scrub his hands and put on a mask and meet them in OR 3.  
  
Mulder did just that. His mother, for all intents and purposes, was about to give birth and there was nothing in the world he wanted to see more except, perhaps the birth of his own babies.  
  
Moments, later, Maggie was prepped and ready. Paula administered an anesthetic to numb her body below the waist but not knocking her out. "I'm ready to make the cut. Mark the time at 12:10 P.M. Sixty-seconds from skin to baby. Ready Mrs. Skinner?"  
  
"Yes," she answered. "Just tell me when it's over. Oh, I wish Walter were here, Fox, I'm scared."  
  
Mulder squeezed her hand and smooth her brow with his hand.   
  
"I'm here, Mom. Try to relax. Wait until Skinner sees his offspring, huh? I'll bet he'll smile so wide his face will crack."  
  
Maggie smiled a bit before groaning at the slight pressure she felt when Paula cut her. Mulder was being wonderful, but she wanted her husband, her wonderful, loving Walter with his soothing deep voice and gently reassuring touch. Mulder is that to her daughter and Walter is that to her. She knew in her rational mind he'd want to be here, but she also knew why he was not. Would he ever forgive her for her selfishness?  
  
Maggie's mind must have blocked out the pain of the incision for her next thought was that she heard her baby's cry. Paula held the squirming infant up for her to see. "It's a girl, Maggie." Mulder said, "You have a daughter."  
  
Mulder Home  
Georgetown, 12:15  
  
Scully once again found herself focusing in on her stepfather's voice. He was coaxing her to stay awake and bring forth her next child. She was so tired she couldn't think straight.  
  
"Come on, Dana, come on. Almost done and then you can sleep. Deep breath and push now, deep breath and push."  
  
"I can't," she whimpered leaning back into the chair, "I'm too tired."  
  
"You can, Scully. You can. You are the strongest woman I know, next to your mother. She can do this, she has done it, and I know you can too. Now deep breath, look in my eyes, look in my eyes, good girl. Now, push."  
  
Scully lifted her head and met his brown gaze. She took a deep breath and pushed with all her waning strength while her stepfather encourage her and helped her by pressing one strong hand on the swell of her abdomen and pressing down slightly. Finally, the head was out and he moved his hand to catch the child as Scully gave one more triumphant push.  
  
Another little boy, slightly smaller with less hair emerged into his waiting hands. He let out a cry that challenged that of his older brother and Scully smiled at her stepfather reaching for her newest son.  
  
Skinner felt tears dripping down his cheeks. This moment was the best of his life so far and her couldn't wait for his own baby to be born.  
  
"Hello," Frohike called just then, "anybody..." he stopped in mid sentence at the sight of Scully on the floor one child in her arms, the other in Skinner's.  
  
"Oh, my. Guys, we're going to need some help getting in the van.'"  
  
St. Catherine's Hospital  
Alexandria, Va 1:30  
  
"How're you feeling Maggie?"  
  
"I've been better" Maggie answered tightly. She held out her arms as her baby daughter was gently placed there.  
  
"Mrs. Skinner. We're gonna keep you on these monitors for a while okay? Your blood pressure is still a tad too high. " the nurse told her.  
  
"Is my baby okay?" Maggie asked suddenly afraid.  
  
"Your baby is fine. You're our priority now."  
  
Mulder started to worry as he stared down at his mother and sister in law. "Maybe I should stay here with you instead of going to find Skinner. You shouldn't be alone. I mean..."  
  
"Fox, go. You need a break and I want Walter here. You've been wonderful to me. Now go and have a strong coffee in the cafe downstairs then find that wayward husband of mine. I have three lovely nurses here to help me. Go" she urged.  
  
Mulder slowly walked out of his mother in laws hospital room with his shirt untucked from his trousers, undone at the collar and his sleeves rolled up. He was absolutely exhausted. All he wanted to do was to get home and curl up on the sofa and hold his wife. Scully should be home by now. This had been a new experience for him, he mused to himself as he headed to the elevator which would take him to the ground floor. Something which suprisingly, he was looking forward to going through with his wife. Mulder never quite reached the elevator, however, for a voice caught his ear and drew his attention to the maternity waiting room. It was Frohike calling his name.  
  
"Hey Mulder!" Frohike exclaimed. "Aren't you going the wrong way?"  
  
"No, I was with Maggie Skinner down the hall," Mulder stated looking at the three men.  
  
"Oooh. She had her baby today, too? What'd she have?" Byers asked.  
  
"Girl 6lbs. 4oz. What are you guys doing here anyway? What do you mean, too?"  
  
"You mean you don't know?" Langly exclaimed.   
  
"No like I said, I was with Maggie since this morning. What do you mean too?"  
  
"Ohhhhhhhhhhh." All three mouthed. "If I were you Mulder I'd go to room '403' and find out." Frohike said.  
  
As it slowly dawned in Mulder's head he did a complete 180 turn and started to sprint around the corner to the other side of the fourth floor.  
  
Mulder skidded to a halt outside room 403 and peeped inside the door. There was Scully, a bundle in her arms talking to Walter Skinner who held another bundle. She looked tired and hot, but she was beautiful. Looking at her holding his child at her breast he felt a pang of regret that he wasn't there to see it and wondered why no one told him that Scully was here. Paula knew he was her husband.  
  
Skinner slowly looked up and saw Mulder in the doorway. He gently tapped Scully's knee and drew her attention to Mulder. "Congratulations, Fox. Two healthy little boys." He stood up and gave the bundle to Mulder who had entered the room even more now. "I guess they finally reached you. We tried calling but you're cell phone was off."  
  
Mulder slowly looked down and pulled back the corner of the blanket and gazed at his son's face. "Wow," he breathed.  
  
"I'll leave you four alone then, shall I?"" Skinner smiled. "Congratulations you two."  
  
"Hey er Walt. You might wanna visit room 419 while you're up here. That's why you couldn't reach me. But why couldn't I reach you. I mean why didn't Paula tell us you were in labor?" Mulder said, still staring downwards.  
  
"Mulder, our sons were born at home. Walt...Dad delivered them."  
  
"Why do I want to check out that room Mulder? Maggie? She's here? There's something wrong with her and the baby, I know it."  
  
With that, Skinner quietly left the room in search of room 419.  
  
"Oh my God. I can't believe it. It's like I'm dreaming. They are so cute. Want to switch?"  
  
"Yeah! I know this isn't how you wanted it Mulder." Scully quietly answered him.  
  
"I can't believe that I missed it all." Mulder said.  
  
"You didn't miss much. That's okay, Skinner took care of me. He's really like a father to me. What's wrong with my Mom?" Scully whispered as Mulder sat on the hospital bed next to her.  
  
"Nothing, you have a sister, Scully. A healthy, beautiful sister. And I did miss something. I should have been there." Mulder answered.  
  
"But look what you're not gonna miss and look what you did with my Mom. You and Skinner sort of swapped places, huh? And he had to deliver the babies, bet you loved that, huh? For the rest of our lives, they will be our children Mulder. For the rest of our lives," she stated staring deep into his eyes.  
  
"Are you glad it was Skinner and not me?" he asked, searching her eyes for the unspoken truth.  
  
"No, but I'm glad it was Skinner and not a stranger. He knew what to do and he was so gentle. He's gonna be a great father." Scully's eyes were misting up and her voice was hard with tears. "And so are you."  
  
Mulder leaned over, careful of his sons and kissed her lips. "I love you, Scully. Thank you for my sons. What are we going to call them?" He asked, one long finger caressing his sons soft cheek.  
  
"Well, I'd like to call one William after ours fathers and the other, Walter after, well you know. I think that would be fitting, don't you.  
  
"Yeah, you're right. It would be," Mulder smiled as he kissed the top of her head.  
  
Skinner moved as quickly as possible to the hospital room that held his wife. If she'd been ill and needed him he'd never forgive himself. What he saw when he walked into the room made him all but fall over.  
  
"Walter," Maggie smiled at him from the bed. She was tired but looked well.  
  
"I have someone I would like you to meet. Papa, meet your daughter. Michaela Patricia Skinner. I think she's going to have your eyes."  
  
Skinner took his daughter from Maggie's arms, tears falling from his eyes for the third time that day.  
  
"I missed it. She's so perfect. Yes, you are," he cooed to the little girl he cuddled. Much to his delight she opened her all ready dark eyes and met his gaze. "Hello, baby. Hi."  
  
"Where were you, Walter? Throwing yourself into work all ready?"  
  
"No, Mom." Scully said from the doorway. She was seated in a wheelchair holding both of her sons while Mulder pushed. "Walter was attending to some more important business this morning than work. He was delivering your grandsons."  
  
"So that's why..." Maggie started,  
  
"I'm sorry anyway. For all of the things I said yesterday. I love you, Maggie and I love our daughter and daughter and our "son" and our grandsons. And I've decided something, if you want me to leave the bureau..."  
  
Maggie pressed her fingers to his lips, "Ssh. I was selfish and I was wrong. Your job is part of you, my love. Just as it is part of Dana and Fox. I love all of you with all your faults and quirks. I not only love you with them, I love you for them.  
  
Now, would you let me hold my grandsons while Dana meets her sister. Dana, this is your new sister, Michaela Skinner. And who are these young fellows?"  
  
"This," said Mulder handing her one child, is William Fox Mulder after Scully's dad and my dad. And this," he said, holding out the second baby, "Is Walter Fox Mulder after you."  
  
As each member of the new larger family got acquainted, the nurses from outside looked on.   
  
"This is a happy day for them, eh, Mary?" asked Annie.  
  
"That it is, Annie. A very, very happy day."  
  



End file.
